Musical Measures
by Epicocity
Summary: AU. "There was also the rumor that Zeref was actually Mavis' father and she chose Magnolia over Tartaros Academy, but that's just conjecture." If only they knew the truth. Because Zeref was the "bad boy" who so desperately wanted to be good and Mavis was the good girl who saw everything with a glass half-full. And music was what brought them together. Zervis.
1. PART ONE: Chapter 1

**This is my first chapter of MUSICAL MEASURES, my Zervis prequel to Musical Chairs. This story will be split into two parts and will show how the musical program was established. Also, despite taking place 93 years before Musical Chairs, technology is mostly the same. You don't need to actually read Musical Chairs to read this. Please enjoy.**

 **Author: Epicocity**

 **Rating: T for language and innuendos**

 **Pairings: Zervis (main) with side helpings of Yuri/Rita.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail. Those rights belong specifically to Hiro Mashima and Kodansha.**

* * *

 _ **MUSICAL MEASURES**_

 _ **A Fairy Tail Fanfiction**_

 _ **Prequel to Musical Chairs**_

PART ONE

Chapter 1

"Hey, Mavis, when do you think you'll be done?"

Pushing her blonde bangs out of her eyes at the voice, Mavis Vermillion looked up to see the teenaged girl poking her head into the bathroom. She smiled at the girl and sat up on her knees, wiping her wet and wrinkled hands on her shorts. Before giving an answer, Mavis looked around the bathroom. Toilet bowl, clean. Floor, washed. Windows, spotless. Medicine cabinet, organized. That just left one thing to clean.

"All I've got left is the mirror, Zera," Mavis announced cheerily. Zera frowned at her, blowing at her brown hair while she leaned against the doorframe. Mavis stood to grab the dirty floor water, lifting it only a foot off the ground. Zera stepped aside to let her pass to the small room at the end of the hall, which was more of closet. Mavis kicked the door open lightly, taking a brief glance at her quarters, dimly lit by a single bulb but covered entirely with posters. Smiling again at the poster for the National Orchestra, Mavis turned into the tiny cabinet that was her bathroom. She opened the toilet and poured the dirty water down it.

"Why do you do all this crap before school?" Zera asked after she had left the bucket in her room and was going back to the bathroom. Zera had left a towel and glass cleaner out for her. "My dad's not gonna be back before we're home, and he's always gone before we leave in the mornings."

"It's just habit," Mavis admitted with a shrug of her shoulders. Zera sighed and left Mavis to her duties. Truly, Mavis didn't mind cleaning the whole house every morning. It kept her mind busy and helped her feel grateful for her downtime whenever she got it, even if it meant waking up at four every morning before school. Granted, the only reason she had to do this was because of Zera's father, the man who'd taken her in after her parents had died in an unfortunate car crash. She was allowed to live in the household in exchange for all the work she did. At first it had been difficult, since she was only nine when it happened, and Zera had been an insufferable brat back then.

All of it changed when the two girls were forced to attend the same school at Magnolia Middle School. Mavis and Zera ended up in the same class…then came the fateful day of auditions for band.

"I brought your bag," Zera announced lazily, dropping Mavis' bag next to the door along with a pair of clothes and shoes. Mavis finished wiping the mirror down in time to give a glance to the footwear. "Dress code, Mavis."

"I know…I just feel more comfortable without shoes," Mavis confessed. Zera flinched but said nothing as Mavis tossed the rag she'd used. Sighing at the inevitability of the situation, Mavis peeled her filthy shirt and shorts off to change into the black blouse and cream skirt. Zera didn't bother looking away, considering that Mavis changing was the most interesting thing all morning. As soon as Mavis finished, she slipped her shoes on and the pair of girls headed for the door.

Mavis stole a look to the girl that was undoubtedly her best friend, who was currently popping a bubble in boredom. How the dark-haired girl had transformed from a spoiled brat to the laid back teenager she was now was hardly a mystery. Simply put, the two girls had bonded over a love of music. Mavis had loved band since her parents were alive, and living in the house of a man who owned the local music store just enhanced it. Zera had picked up a love of music as well. When the two girls learned this about each other, all animosity fell away and they became closer than sisters. They played together, did homework together, even bathed together. Mavis was glad to have someone so close, especially when Zera would start to help her with her appointed chores, occasionally sneaking her dinner, too.

"Can't believe were sophomores already," Zera commented when they reached the front door.

"I know…" Mavis giggled out. She grabbed the flute case sitting on the mantle while Zera grabbed her clarinet case. "Before you know it, Precht is going to graduate."

"He's section leader for the trumpets this year, right?" Mavis made a noise of affirmation and Zera turned to lock the door. Then they walked down the garden path toward Magnolia High School. "I can't believe I only got fourth chair…"

"That's better than last year, right?" Mavis said cheerfully.

"Coming from Miss Second Chair Flute," Zera joked back teasingly, adding on an affectionate nudge. Mavis nudged her back before she felt a sharp jab in her foot. She stopped and took the shoes off, slipping them into her bag. Zera rolled her eyes but Mavis didn't care when she felt the cool ground underneath her feet. It was so freeing, in the way that music was, and Mavis hooked her arm with Zera's, tromping along toward school, which was rapidly approaching.

Magnolia High was, as it was every year, brimming with many students. All of them were split into the various cliques that Mavis imagined every school was made of. A group of gamers were huddled under the tree in the entrance courtyard, trying to grab the shade, while some cheerleaders were in the middle of the path giving a rather exuberant entrance cheer. Other students were catching up with friends from summer and still more were just trying to get into the school.

"Super busy…as usua-Hey!" Zera snapped as someone bumped into her side, pushing her into Mavis.

"Sorry," the offending boy muttered without even a glance back. Mavis pushed Zera into a more stable position and watched the boy's back. She only had time to notice he was dressed like the school was a private institution before someone more unpleasant interrupted them.

"Well, Vermillion and her girlfriend," jeered a rather sniveling voice. Mavis wrinkled her nose but still turned to the source of the voice. "How often do you two girls have a little action under the sheets?"

"I could get some of that. Two hot chicks-"

"Perv!" Zera snapped, beaning the second commenter in the face with her clarinet case. "You're sick!"

"He's just expressing his desire to be part of such a feminine love," said the first again. Mavis narrowed her gaze. "You're practically attached at the hip."

"We're like sisters, Geoffrey," Mavis said calmly. Geoffrey leaned back to let out a condescending chortle. When he finally decided to look back at Mavis, he pushed his goggles up his face before affixing her with a leering grin.

"Don't look that way to me," he snickered, the other boys behind him joining in. "Next we'll be seeing you making out in the locker rooms while taking a shower and feeling each other up. Let us know beforehand and we could charge a viewing fee."

"Sicko," Zera reiterated. Geoffrey looked at her dismissively before turning his eyes to Mavis again. He stepped forward and ran his hand across Mavis' cheek. She resisted the urge to shiver and stared the football team's captain and quarterback in the eyes with matching cold ones.

"Well, there's always you band geeks entertaining us. We'll get you to let loose," he jeered lasciviously.

"I think there's a .0001 percent chance of that actually happening," Mavis said coldly, her eyes leaving his for just a moment. Geoffrey sneered. "Also, if you don't remove your hand from my face immediately, there's a seventy-five percent chance you'll meet with an unfortunate accident."

"What acci-"

"Heads up!" cried a voice across the courtyard. Seconds later, a large black shape sailed into Geoffrey Lord's face from the air. His hand disengaged from Mavis' face and he fell back into his lackeys, his nose bleeding onto his jersey. Shortly after this event, someone slid into the space that was now vacated, his blond hair briefly covering the bruise forming on his face. "Oh, hey Mavis, Zera! I didn't hit you, did I?"

"Morning, Yuri!" Mavis greeted cheerfully. Zera disengaged from her to grab the thing that had hit Geoffrey: a music case.

"Isn't this Precht's?" Zera asked casually. Yuri smiled sheepishly.

"Yes, it is," boomed Precht as he approached the trio, his purple hair slicked back as usual. He was backed up by another boy with black hair that was waving and a girl that ran to Yuri's side. "Yuri, next time you want to play hot potato, I'll use your head if you touch my trumpet case again."

"Sorry, man," Yuri apologized. Precht scoffed and gratefully took his case from Zera.

"Hey, blond bozo, you hit me in the face!" Geoffrey screeched. Yuri looked up from the ground and nearly cracked up at the sight of blood dribbling from Lord's face.

"What's your point? You look more the part of a thug now," Yuri commented honestly. Geoffrey looked ready to blow, but he just whipped his letterman's jacket around his shoulders and led his cronies elsewhere. "That guy's got serious control issues."

"You're an idiot, Yuri," said the last girl of the group, her fingers lightly touching the bruise on his face.

"But I'm your idiot, Rita." Mavis smiled at the touching interaction by the lone couple of their little group.

Their "little group", which had yet to decide on a name for itself, had been around since the middle school days. Since the band program had been largely unpopular, and thus small, all three grades had been lumped into one. This meant that Mavis and Zera had met all four upperclassmen because they were all in the same program together. There was Yuri Dreyar, the most exuberant and friendly drummer of all time, and his girlfriend, Rita, both of whom were a year above Mavis and Zera. Not that Rita was Yuri's girlfriend at the time; that only happened once they were high schoolers. Mavis, in particular, loved Rita as a mentor of sorts as she was the first chair flutist. Then there was Warrod Sequen, a junior year trombonist who had a penchant for being soft-spoken and making lame jokes. Then there was Precht Gaebolg, their slightly surlier and standoffish senior that was leader of the trumpets. All of them had met in middle school, and they'd yet to break apart, even if they argued over stupid things from time to time like most friends did.

"I'm not sure if their couple's routine is sweet or sickening," Zera said in response to Rita helping Yuri up. "Honestly, you two should just get engaged and be done with it."

"They would if Rita was pregnant," Warrod said mildly. The group gave the wispy, tree-looking boy an astonished glance, with Yuri's eyes actually bugging out of his head. "Just kidding."

"Ugh, not funny, Warrod!" Yuri snapped, slipping his hand into Rita's. Overhead, a bell rang, indicating that the students should start heading to classes. "Well, see you guys at lunch."

"Yuri, not so fast," Rita complained as her boyfriend dragged her off.

"They're probably going to go neck before class," Precht observed dryly.

"Didn't need that image," Zera said with an offended swat to Precht's shoulder. He just laughed in response and began leading the remaining members of their group into the school. Once they were past the entrance hall, Warrod said his goodbye and Precht split away soon after. "We have gym first, right? Ugh…who wants to get sweaty first thing in the morning?"

"Come on, Zera, gym is fun!" Mavis giggled out as they reached the girl's locker room. Geoffrey's words came back to Mavis as she shoved all her stuff into her gym locker, but they quickly flitted away when she was dressed in her gym clothes within a minute (shoes, unfortunately, included). Mavis joined the throng of girls heading out to the gym at large, Zera by her side and suppressing a yawn. A number of boys were already out and playing around, others were trying to hit on some of the girls, but Mavis noticed one kid in particular that was sitting against the wall with his head buried in a book, only his black hair visible. It was a little odd, but Mavis shrugged it off as something odd that you could probably see any day of the week.

"Hey, pissants, in line!" called the gym teacher. Zera made a noise of discontent and even Mavis almost found herself scowling. The gym teacher, who also happened to be the football coach, was not a particularly pleasant man. With his tanned skin and tattoos, he cut an imposing figure and his hair was long and unruly, making him out to be just a little more vicious. Mavis usually reserved her judgements, but after suffering through the man named as "The Black Tyrant" for gym class last year, Mavis had next to no kind thoughts about the man. "I'm your gym teacher this year. You can call me either Teacher or Coach Acnologia. My job is to make sure you don't become fat slobs, though I see some of you let yourselves go over the summer."

Mavis frowned but didn't say a word as Acnologia raked his eyes over the students. Here and there he would stop and make a comment about some kid's appearance, but it was never for more than a few seconds. He didn't care to learn most of the student's names, either. There was only one student that he stopped at for an extended period of time, but considering he never said anything, the blonde had no idea what it was about. Acnologia did, however, offer both her and Zera a smirk when he saw them. It was no secret that the football coach hated the band program. "All right, I want thirty laps along the gym track now!"

Mavis shook her head, completely expecting the insane demand. She tied her hair up into a ponytail and started on her day. Thankfully, gym was the worst class she really had, all things considered. Normally, she'd enjoy the chance to be a little active but Acnologia's version of that was ridiculous. Other classes weren't as bad, and allowed Mavis to clear the cobwebs out that had formed over summer. Not that Mavis didn't like learning or studying, because she did. She simply focused too much on her music over the holidays. Either way, she and Zera walked away with at least two classes worth of homework by lunch time.

Lunch was as busy as ever, with all the groups sitting at their tables. Mavis greeted a few other band students that she recognized from the previous year on their way to the table where Yuri and Warrod were playing a small card game named Legendia that they'd learned over the summer. Rita was watching while Precht, being so studious, was working on a paper.

"So, heard you guys have Coach Acne as your teacher again?" Yuri said as he sucked on his tongue.

"Yup, and he's got as much of a stick up his butt as usual," Zera commented, taking out two lunches and sliding one over to Mavis. "What exactly is his problem? Gym has to be the easiest class to teach."

"Rumor has it that there's someone at the school this year who's making him nervous," Warrod commented, placing a card down. "Just kidding. There is no rumor."

"Rumor or no," Precht said sternly, "we should just worry about what crap Acnologia will try to pull on the band program this year. You know he hates us, and we're so small, the program's barely hanging on as it is."

"I wouldn't worry," Mavis chirruped, digging her plastic spoon into a cup of pudding. "We'll make the band program better than ever this year."

"We say that every year," Rita lamented with a sigh. "We've just continued shrinking every year, instead."

"She's right," Precht said in response before lifting a sheet out of his bag and sliding it across the table, interrupting the card game. Yuri gave him a middle finger as a response. Precht ignored him. "That's the list us section leaders got this summer. We're ten shorter than last year."

Mavis took the list and started reading the mostly familiar names. Her eyes caught on the second chair trumpet under Precht. It was unusual for a freshman to be a second chair. Mavis knew, herself, since just about every upperclassman had placed above her, regardless of her natural talent, last year. Yet the second chair trumpet was an unfamiliar name. "Hey, Precht, who's your second chair?"

"No idea. Haven't met him in a class, so…" Mavis frowned at his answer and passed the sheet back to her friend. Yuri and Warrod returned to their game while Zera started a conversation with Rita about a book. Mavis just turned back to her pudding and observed the crowd of students. She noticed Geoffrey and his posse acting as obnoxious as ever, and other students giving them a wide berth. Then she saw that mop of black hair from gym and the book in front of his face. It was intriguing, especially when he never lifted his head once. He was like a variable she couldn't calculate. She watched him a couple minutes until the bell rang, then she forgot about him.

Instead, she thought about the name on the band sheet that was unfamiliar: Zeref Dragneel. An odd name, if only because she thought she knew everyone in the program…They weren't exactly large. Nonetheless, it was obvious that Mavis was thinking hard about it because she was chewing on her pencil eraser in English and Zera had to poke her with a ruler.

"What're you thinking about?" she whispered underneath the teacher. Mavis turned her head, realizing she actually had a pencil in her mouth. Smiling in embarrassment, Mavis took the pencil out and decided to just focus on her lessons the rest of the day. Zera's interruption did her much good and she no longer thought of anything else until, at long last, the bell signaling the final class of the day rang.

"Hurry up, Zera!" Mavis cheered, her flute waving behind her like a flag. Zera rolled her eyes and followed her friend quickly to the band room. "Hello, Mr. August!"

"Mavis, Zera, good to see you again. Good summer?" Mavis led Zera in answering positively while they set up their instruments. In the meantime, other students came into the room. Some said hello to the pair of girls while others went to setting up their instruments. Mavis greeted each of them gleefully. There was something about being part of the band program that filled her with an indescribable joy. Maybe it was that in such a small program, everyone knew each other and made friends, but every member also loved music immensely. There was a tightness and a sense of solidarity that Mavis truly believed didn't exist elsewhere. Music was something that Mavis cherished above all else.

More than once, the blonde sophomore had thought about her future with music. There were plenty of possibilities, though Mavis knew that most of those possibilities were limited given that Magnolia's band program was hardly top of the list. If anything, it was bottom of the barrel, which meant limited recognition for any potential colleges or an orchestra. Still, Mavis loved it deep in her heart and had decided early on that imparting the gift of music to the next generation in order to share it with many people was a likely life choice. Thinking about this, Mavis took her seat next to Rita, who smiled at her as their teacher, August, began handing sheets of paper along the rows.

"I'm handing each of you the layout for this year's program," he announced. Mavis took the thick stack of sheets and picked off a relatively thin packet before passing it on. "As usual, it's a short show, ranging about five minutes. For all you freshman, we'll be performing in the middle of halftime at the football games, between the cheerleading team and the student council's pep rally squad. It's not a long performance, but I'd still like all of you to do your best."

"It never is long," Mavis complained underneath her breath. Rita offered her a sympathetic smile.

"That said," August continued, taking his place at the conductor's stand, "your music is contained in your packets and I expect you to start memorizing it right away. Tomorrow we'll have the field open for practice and we'll also start nighttime practices once a week on Monday." Mavis nodded her head, knowing the information was just the same as last year. She couldn't take it, so she raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Vermillion?"

"What about contests?" she asked loudly, the question echoing around the band room. Multiple murmurs arose at the question: some indignant and others surprised. Mavis flicked through the packet, her eyes very briefly raking over the schedule as she spoke. "I don't see any on the schedule."

"That's because we don't participate in contests," the teacher reminded her. "Our role as the band during the fall season is to prepare an entertaining halftime show for the spectators at the football game. After that, we will prepare for the winter and spring concerts for your parents. We're not a competition band."

"We aren't? Or we're not allowed to be?" Judging from the eyes on her after that question, Mavis feared she may have pushed it too far. August, however, remained calm and understanding.

"Suffice it to say, we as a program have not been invited to participate in any contests. Now, if we're done with questions, please bring up your sheet music so we can run through it as a band."

Mavis relented to the inevitable and put the sheet music on the stand she was sharing with Rita. Looking over the composition, it was hardly a complicated or flashy piece. Even its title, "Phantom Fanfare", was rather simple and uninspired. Yet another example of how little effort was put into the band program. She knew that August was a skilled composer. She'd seen some of his more complicated pieces that shone with energy. This piece was just dull and lame by comparison. From just a cursory glance, Mavis could see where she would change just a few bars here and there to make a stunning piece…but that wasn't what their band was about. They were little more than a set piece for the glorious stage that was the football team. Resigned, Mavis raised her flute to her lips and joined her fellow musicians in practicing their ridiculously short show. By the end of the period, Mavis had already memorized the piece, and had also calculated a thirty percent chance of the show actually being received warmly.

"Well, tomorrow we'll work on that footwork. Until then, try to work on memorizing the piece. Take care." The teacher was the fastest one out of there. Mavis sighed as she packed up her flute in seconds.

"Just relax, Mavis," Rita said gaily, moving slower than her friend. "I know you don't like it, but-"

"I just want the program to actually mean something, you know?" Mavis told her, choosing not to look at her. Instead, she watched Precht packing up his trumpet. "If we just had a chance, I really think our program could do something great."

Rita didn't give a response, doubly so when Yuri had sidled up to her. Mavis was grateful that neither said anything about what some would just consider impetuous whims. She just finished watching Precht pack up and moved her eyes to the only other moving thing in his vicinity, which turned out to be his second chair. Mavis' eyes widened fractionally as she recognized the black mop of hair that she had been spotting all day. The boy was pale and idly wiping his trumpet down gently, his black eyes drawn to the brass surface. He was dressed rather nicely with black pants and a black sports blazer over his collared shirt; definitely not normal dress for a public school student. There was something else about him that Mavis couldn't put her finger on.

"Hey, are we heading to the tavern or what?" Precht said. Mavis almost jumped, not even realizing that he had been there. "I'm pretty starved and I can't stay long. I've got college applications to fill out."

"Uh…sorry…but I've got to make dinner tonight," Mavis apologized. Yuri rolled his eyes.

"You have to make dinner _every_ night. Do you even get to eat any of it?" he asked with a touch of both concern and irritation. Mavis puffed her cheeks out at the insinuation.

"I eat just fine! By the way Precht, how's your second chair?"

"In a word: antisocial. He said barely two words to me and he didn't even look up. He just scribbled in a stupid black notebook of his until it was time to practice."

"Sounds like an asshole," Yuri remarked. He stole a quick glance at the boy in question and amended his statement. "He _looks_ like an asshole."

"I don't think so. He looks kind," Mavis observed. Both Precht and Yuri looked at her like she'd gone crazy.

"And what have you been smoking, Mavis?"

Mavis disregarded Yuri's rude comment and instead walked over to where the boy was packing up his trumpet, his black notebook on his lap. Upon closer inspection, Mavis noticed that he was skinny, or at least far skinnier than any other guy she'd met. If she had to do a comparison, she figured that he was about as skinny as she was. He also did exude an aura of particular standoffishness, but there was something else that Mavis finally recognized. Perhaps it was because of years of feeling it herself, but he looked lonely. He had no friends, and it almost seemed like he didn't want any with the way he acted. None of that stopped Mavis from holding her hand out to him. "Hi, I'm Mavis Vermillion!"

"Excuse me?" the boy said, his voice light and somewhat melancholy. Mavis puffed her cheeks again.

"My name. I'm second-chair flutist Mavis Vermillion. Who are you?"

"Nobody," the boy replied, snapping his trumpet case shut and standing up.

"That's not true. Everybody's a somebody. You must have a name." Of course, she already knew it from earlier in the day, but decided to show some respect and not seem creepy. The boy watched her a moment, ignoring her still outstretched hand.

"Zeref," he said to her. She smiled.

"That's a nice name." Zeref blinked a few times before he turned away abruptly.

"Yeah…Bye…" Like that, he was walking away. Mavis didn't follow after and just watched him until Warrod came next to her and put his hand on her.

"Don't let it get to you," he said kindly. Mavis smiled up at him.

"I'm not! He's just a little lonely." Warrod patted her on the head affectionately, prior to joining up with the rest of her older friends. Zera came up to her next, holding on to their bags and her clarinet case.

"You ready?" Mavis nodded and gratefully took her stuff. Zeref was now long gone, so Mavis thought ahead to what she'd be making for dinner. It would have to be something simple if she wanted the tine to do her homework. Unfortunately, Jezelf wasn't a man with simple tastes. Unlike his daughter, Jezelf refused to eat something as simple as macaroni and cheese; if he were to have pasta, it would be something fancy. Not that Jezelf would ever lift a finger to do anything like that himself. He had Mavis to do all the cooking and cleaning around the house. Mavs didn't let that get her down and decided on making chicken parmigiana for dinner, knowing that she had the ingredients for it.

By the time she had decided this, both Mavis and Zera had arrived back home. Standing in the foyer was Jezelf himself. Seconds later, Mavis found a rag being thrown into her face that smelled vaguely of glass cleaner. When she pulled it off, she looked up to see an irate Jezelf staring at her. "Why is it that I found this rag in the bathroom waste basket instead of in the garbage cans outside?"

"Um…I had to-"

"No excuses!" Jezelf roared angrily. Mavis swallowed thickly and shut her mouth. "Because of your indiscretion, I'm made to live in a sty! No dinner for you tonight. Prepare our family's meal and then re-clean the entire house from top to bottom."

"Of course…" Mavis said. How could she have been so stupid? Something like forgetting to put the used rag in the trash wasn't a mistake she usually made.

"Come here, Zera. Tell me all about your day." Zera walked to the open arms of her father, giving a look of apology to Mavis while the blonde proceeded to her room in order to dump her bag and flute. Not long after she was in front of the stove, preparing both the pasta and chicken for the dinner that night which she wouldn't eat. It was all so typical, being forced to slave away for not even a scrap of food.

The steam reached her nose and caused her to sniffle a little. She wished, in some part, that her parents had never died in that car crash, or maybe that they had caught the guy who'd done it. Mavis also wished that Jezelf hadn't been an acquaintance of theirs (because she wouldn't call him a friend). Were her life any different, she would almost think she resembled Cinderella from the fairy tale. Mavis loved fairy tales growing up. Her fondest memories had been of her parents reading them to her. Life was no fairy tale, though, and Mavis was no Cinderella. She didn't _want_ to be Cinderella. Mavis had friends that weren't animals and Zera was no longer like an ugly step-sister; she didn't want her toes chopped off or eyes plucked out. No, life, as it was, was good enough.

With the pasta and chicken done, Mavis set the table for two and went to the closet to take out her cleaning supplies again. A sigh passed her lips when she smelled the dinner she'd made and her body ached a little from doing double cleaning. She refused to take any breaks, knowing that if she did, she wouldn't finish in time to get any sleep, but she did have to take care of the filthy pots and plates. It was near midnight when Mavis finally dragged the trash bags out, making sure that nary a speck was left for the next morning. Done at last, Mavis collapsed on the front stoop of the house and looked up to the stars, twinkling with their infiniteness.

"Hey, I saved you some dinner without dad knowing," Zera said, sliding a reheated plate of dinner into Mavis' lap, complete with a fork and knife. Mavis thanked her and began to eat silently, staring outward. Like it always did, her thoughts trended towards the lame show they'd be performing that year. "What are you thinking about?"

"Hmm? Oh…just…don't you find this year's show a little…boring?" Mavis asked, putting a final piece of chicken in her mouth.

"I know _you_ do, but I honestly try not to think about it," Zera responded. The two girls sat a moment before Zera let her hair out of her pigtails and let it trail down her back.

"We need to get into some competitions, otherwise we're just a sideshow for those monkeys on the football team," Mavis finally expressed in agitation. "I want our music program to be more than it is, but right now we're all little groups of friends that hardly encourage each other to play any better, so we never improve as a whole."

"Well, that's how it is," Zera told her. "Band has never been anything more than a complement to the sports teams, even with Homecoming and all that stuff. The whole concept of competitions for bands has barely gotten off the ground as it is. We're just not good enough to do that stuff. We're barely good enough to perform a half-decent show at a football game."

"That's what I want to change!" Mavis declared just a little too loudly. "I want to make a band program that everyone will look at and say 'That's what I want to do with _my_ life'. I want band to be like an eternal adventure where the whole band can rely on each other."

"For that, you'd need a teacher gutsy enough to defy Acnologia, and good luck with that. So, for now, let's keep our heads out of the clouds, huh?"

"I know, Zera," Mavis conceded at last. She didn't say anything else to her, but Mavis' mind didn't stop thinking of all the possibilities for the program.

And somewhere along the way, Mavis came to the conclusion that this year was going to be a great one.

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 **Author's Note: I had the idea for a Zervis prequel (which I've supported since 340, really) since chapter 450 came out. This is what became of it. As you can see, there's two parts to this story but I won't tell you why. On a note, I by no means, hate football teams, I just needed an antagonist that was different from the other stories. Also, don't expect a super-consistent update schedule because I** _ **am**_ **working on three stories at once. Anyway, that's all I have for now. I hope you enjoyed and do check out my other stories including another story in this world, Musical Notes, but be sure to leave me a Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Acnologia: from evil, black dragon to sadistic gym teacher. Yet finding the way these characters fit is so much fun! Time for Chapter 2!**

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Chapter 2

Mavis awoke the next morning feeling groggy and heavy, but she still dragged herself out of bed at that godforsaken hour in order to do her chores all over again, though she was yawning the whole time. She was still in a state of lethargy as she began to change in the girls' locker room, only snapped out of it by some girl's bra smacking her in the face. It happened to smell so disgusting that the scent instantly dragged Mavis back to reality in a state of revulsion.

"Who throws bras and panties around a locker room?" Mavis complained to Zera on their way out. "And who wears bras that big anyway?"

"Cheerleaders?" Zera suggested. Mavis scowled, continually rubbing her nose like it might get the stench out. "I don't know, Mavis. They were just having a little squabble."

"Have your squabble some other time!" Mavis threw her hands in protest and unexpectedly hit something hard. Said thing tumbled to the floor with a loud thump. The blonde instantly flushed in embarrassment and turned to apologize. "Sorry! I wasn't-"

"It's fine," the boy said. Mavis realized with further mortification that the person she had almost hit was Zeref.

"Oh, Zeref, I didn't mean to…I was just…" Mavis spluttered out, completely flustered at almost beaning somebody in the face. Even more embarrassing was the fact that she hadn't noticed he was even there.

"I said it's fine," he repeated. At the same time, he bent down to pick his book up. "Mavis, right? I don't think you should worry. Your chest is fine the way it is."

A second passed, then two seconds, and all the way up to half a minute until the three of them realized just what he had said.

"Sicko!" Zera screeched, reacting first. She pushed Mavis behind her, like she was protecting her. Meanwhile, Mavis flushed horribly at the comment. "What? Do you have a PhD in being a pervert or something?"

"No…I…I didn't mean it that way," Zeref admitted. He held his book against his chest and looked positively mortified. Mavis felt better that at least the both of them looked abashed; she couldn't even see the title of his book.

"I didn't take it that way!" Mavis squeaked out so quickly, she wasn't sure that she had formed words.

"What other way is there to take it?" Zera questioned. Zeref looked genuinely confused or thoughtful, Mavis couldn't decide which.

"Never mind. Sorry," he said and he walked away again. The pair of girls watched him go until he blended into the crowd.

"He's one odd duck," Zera commented. "You'd almost think he's never talked to a girl his own age before." Mavis didn't trust her voice to say anything, fearing it would be little more than squeaking like the hinges of a door. If Zeref had never spoken to a girl before, then Mavis had never had a boy speak to her like that before. Her hands subconsciously went to her chest.

"Come on, losers, get into order!" Acnologia's voice made Mavis lower her hands and try to forget Zeref's accidental, crass comment. "We're doing two versus two badminton matches today, all losers run five laps around the track. I've taken the liberty of pairing you off randomly from the class sheet, so don't think you get to play with your friends." Many of the students cursed at him under their breath, but Mavis fully expected it. Zera did, too, because she just let out a tired little sigh. Acnologia started rattling off the list and Mavis noticed that almost all of the pairings were boy-girl pairings, likely to create uncomfortable or embarrassing situations with the opposite sex. Zera was certainly embarrassed to pair up with the droopy nosed kid. "Vermillion and Dragneel."

Mavis flushed instantly and she could swear to hearing Zera both laugh and gnash her teeth in the background. The coincidence of having to converse with Zeref again so soon was next to uncanny. Mavis was never a big fan of coincidences; they only tended to mess up perfectly made calculations. Still, Mavis was never one to back down from a challenge and she happened to view Zeref as just that. She was determined to make friends with the boy who reminded her so much of her past self. Tying her hair into a ponytail once again, she set off to find the black haired boy that was probably standing by with a particular languor. She quickly found him by one of the courts, holding two rackets. When Mavis finished running up to him, he thrust one of the rackets at her. It was about all he could do in lieu of actual conversation. Once more, the pair met with silence.

"Look, about what I said earlier," Zeref started saying. Mavis turned to him as their opponents had yet to arrive. "I wasn't trying to be creepy. I just…overheard you talking about it and I didn't really filter what I was saying."

"I told you, it's fine," Mavis answered cheerily. "You don't strike me as the kind of guy to go around groping girls' chests to figure out their cup sizes."

"Um…no…I'm not," Zeref spluttered near incoherently, blushing with the implication. Mavis giggled, finding the reaction to be a little cute. "I've just never really talked to girls before."

"I've noticed. You seem to keep to yourself."

"Alone is better." Mavis had to disagree with that, but she wasn't going to argue with a boy that was practically a head taller than her. She settled for trying to meet his eyes while he did his damndest to avoid hers. It was only inevitable that after so long, their eyes would meet and Mavis could finally see the emotion behind them. She stood on her tiptoes and watched Zeref's eyes for just a moment.

"Hmm…interesting," she remarked. Zeref raised an eyebrow rather than speaking aloud. "I can barely even read you, like you have a wall up. You can't make friends that way."

"If I did, they'd run away," Zeref stated like it was an obvious answer. "I tend to frighten people."

"You don't scare me. I think you're interesting. Like, where were you last year and what made you become a trumpet player?" Zeref stiffened up at the innocuous question and he finally wrenched his eyes way from her.

"I told you: I'm better off alone. I don't like talking to others."

"Party pooper…" Mavis teased, but figured it was best to let the issue go. She stretched her hands upward a little, causing her shirt to ride up unintentionally as Zeref made a brief glance back to her. "Well, whatever. Let's win this match so we won't have to run those laps."

"Knowing him, he'll make us run them anyway," Zeref spat. Mavis stared at him inquisitively. How could Zeref have known about Acnologia's side of sadism? She would've asked but their opponents were finally ready to begin their game. "Hey, Mavis, take the back right. I think the other team's boy favors hitting to that side."

"He does, actually, and the girl can hit a long distance but isn't that great at short shots…she's more of a long-range hitter on the girls' softball team," Mavis informed. Zeref was nodding as he absorbed the information. "I'm saying your strategy will work. I'll take the back and you'll spike them from the front."

The partners exchanged no more words while they took position. The other team had the first serve, with the girl hitting the birdie into the air. Zeref didn't move to intercept it and Mavis could clearly see the reason. As expected, the girl was hitting a long distance, right into Mavis' area. She stepped to the side a few steps and, as she whacked her racket against the birdie, Mavis was very grateful for her upper body strength. The birdie sailed over the net, where the other team's boy smacked it over. Zeref stepped one step over. The light tap he gave was enough to send it over the net without touching it, but afforded no room for their opponent to hit it without diving into the net. Like that, the serve went to their team.

"You're pretty good," Mavis told her partner. Zeref shrugged, his own shirt being dragged up, showing that his book was tucked into his gym shorts. It also revealed that Mavis' thoughts about him being very lean were spot on.

"Hit to her, then-"

"You'll take it and he'll probably hit it back towards me," Mavis concluded. Zeref blinked, almost like he was surprised that Mavis had figured his strategy out. Mavis offered him a smile, but he turned away and took his position. She looked across the court and narrowed her gaze on the practically bouncing female. Taking in a short breath, Mavis whacked the birdie over. It flew on a perfectly calculated trajectory towards their opponent. The girl easily hit it back over and Zeref smacked it back to the other side, as planned. Similarly, the boy made a near desperate dive to hit it towards them. Mavis watched it and, in that moment, calculated that it would go out of bounds without her doing a thing. It did. Score 1-0.

Zeref appeared to be suitably impressed by Mavis' quick thinking and so, after every serve he convened with her for a quick strategy on that round. The serve never once returned to the other team and they won with a margin of 15-0, forcing the other team to start running. Mavis held her hand up for a high five, but Zeref didn't return it. She figured that part of it had to do with Acnologia coming over.

"Surprisingly impressive for two lightweights," he remarked with a feral grin. Mavis felt a grim sense of foreboding at the imposing gym teacher towering over them. "No mercy, huh? Well, I think we'll make it fair. You can run the same number of laps equal to your margin of points. That would be fifteen, correct?"

"Yes, sir," Zeref answered dully. Acnologia's grin widened and he walked off. Zeref had undoubtedly called it that Acnologia was going to make everyone run laps no matter what. Mavis tilted her head to the side to watch Zeref for just a moment until he pivoted away and began jogging toward the track. Mavis jogged after him and attempted to keep pace with him on their run.

"How did you know he was going to make us run the laps?" she asked.

"Because it's obvious that he takes great pride in making emotional teenagers self-destruct," Zeref told her bitterly. "Now, do you mind? I'd like to finish running before my next class."

"I'm running with you," Mavis chirruped happily. Zeref rolled his eyes while scoffing. "Nu-uh, there's no way you're getting rid of me. We're partners and as long as I know you, we're going to be friends!"

"Friends, huh?" Zeref said with yet another scoff. "I don't do friends."

"Doesn't matter!" Mavis retorted. Instead of answering this time, Zeref picked up his pace, as if to escape the chipper blonde. Mavis easily caught up and regulated her pace. She had little doubt of the level to which she must have been infuriating Zeref, considering he refused to even look at her. Mavis just smiled and the two continued on their run together.

They ended up being among the last to leave the track and Mavis only had enough time to put some deodorant on and change her clothes. She was running desperately out of the locker room when her bag swung away from her grip and her books tumbled out in a mess. At that moment, the bell rang and Mavis had to refrain from cursing. She knelt on the ground and started shoveling her stuff haphazardly into her bag. Mavis despaired a little, realizing she had too much stuff.

"You might want to consider a better bag," said the voice above her. Mavis noticed a pale hand offering a stack of her books to her. She followed the arm to find Zeref frowning down at her. Without delay, she grabbed the books and finished stuffing them into the bag. Zeref retracted his hand and Mavis stood up on her own. Evidently satisfied that the situation was okay, Zeref took off at a brisk pace down the hallway. Mavis finished closing her bag tightly and took off. Like before, she reached him swiftly and walked alongside him since they were going in the same direction.

"Thank you," she said sincerely as she kept the swift pace next to him.

"I don't need your thanks," he said, a tone of impatience creeping through. Mavis frowned and folded her arms across her chest.

"You can quit it with the whole bad boy routine," she admonished him. Zeref finally looked at her, his glance somewhat accusatory, like he didn't know what she was talking about. Mavis would have giggled, but she also realized that it would have ruined the moment. "Look, some girls might like the whole cold and antisocial hot guy thing, but I'm not one of them, and you're just embarrassing yourself by pretending to be one of them. I can see how you really feel in your eyes."

"I'm not pretending about anything," Zeref admitted lazily. "I just don't want to be late to class."

"We already are late to class, silly," Mavis said with a slight nudge to his shoulder. Zeref froze up for a moment, but relaxed as they continued walking. Mavis finally noticed that his book was back in his hand, like he never let go of it.

"Then…what do you see in my eyes?" he finally asked when they rounded another corner.

"That you're just like me," Mavis answered him simply. "You're alone and it scares you, but you're even more scared of making friends. I was the same until I met my friends."

"Then we're not very alike at all," Zeref finally snapped. Mavis was taken aback by the sudden change in tone, but was even more taken aback by the fact that Zeref was opening the door to the same exact room she was going to. Somehow, she hadn't noticed that Zeref Dragneel was in the same math class as her.

"Miss Vermillion, Mr. Dragneel, am I to take it you were held back at gym?" the teacher called the second they were in the room. Zeref didn't answer her.

"Yes, ma'am," Mavis responded respectfully. The teacher nodded, accepting the perfectly valid excuse for being late, before turning back to the blackboard. Zeref made a beeline for the only empty desk at the back of the class while Mavis took her seat next to Zera.

"Why were you so late?" she asked in a soft whisper, careful not to be overheard. Mavis didn't answer her until she had all of her things on her desk.

"Acnologia," she told her friend simply. Zera nodded, accepting the very obvious explanation, but looked like she had more questions. Mavis didn't feel like answering them so she focused her mind on the lesson. It was only in her next class that she realized she had inadvertently called Zeref hot, yet that fact hardly bothered her. It was an observation, and hardly a subjective one at that.

Mavis then didn't see Zeref again until lunch, and "seeing him" was a term she'd use very loosely.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but Warrod's right," Rita was saying as the two sophomore girls came to the lunch table.

"No. No way. He can't be. Say you're kidding, Warrod! Tell me it was a joke just like you always do!" Yuri moaned, slamming his head against the table.

"I was just kidding," Warrod said, giving Yuri cause to look up in hope. "That was a joke, though."

"Agh!"

"What's Yuri spazzing out about now?" Zera inquired, taking both girls' lunches out. Rita reached a hand over to her boyfriend's before answering. Mavis also noticed that Precht was nowhere to be seen.

"Warrod reminded Yuri about an essay that they had to write for English and Yuri seemed to think it was all a dream," Rita answered gaily with a laugh tacked on at the end. Zera nearly snorted into her sandwich.

"You pick the most mundane things to spaz out about, Yuri."

"Where's Precht?" Mavis asked at a lull in the conversation.

"Meeting with a guidance counselor or some crap like that," Yuri told her, recovering from his temporary shutdown. "You know Precht usually does his own thing…antisocial prick…" That lone comment seemed to spark another mundane argument between the two male juniors. Mavis decided to ignore their bickering and returned to her lunch, which was consumed in all of five minutes owing to how hungry she was.

After that, she resumed her people watching practice like always. Unlike the day before, the lunchroom didn't seem nearly as busy as it did once before, likely because everyone was settling down into their fixed patterns. Even with the groups being set, to the average viewer it would have been near impossible to tell who was part of what group unless you were the football team, simply because they were all wearing their very obvious letterman jackets. Mavis was no average viewer, however. She had observed the lunchroom enough to know all the little quirks and movements of the groups that identified them right away.

The cheerleaders were almost always at the tables right next to the football players, which was made obvious by the fact that they were among the only girls that didn't carry large backpacks and kept their purses on the table. The basketball players always sat on the other side, that way the popular kids would all be together no matter what season it was. In a slightly more secluded corner were the huddled gamers. Even if they didn't have games out (or were expertly concealing them), it was obvious that it was them because they were as far away from the teachers' station as could be. The drama club kids were always at the center, only their uniform stacks of paper in front of each of them giving them away. The kids who loved to study always sat near the front of the cafeteria so they could dash out as soon as lunch ended. Kids from other sports teams sat near the actual food-serving part of the cafeteria since they always wanted more energy for whatever practice they had. Then, of course, there were the band kids who gave themselves away by tapping with a pencil or any other utensil they could find on the table's surface. Student Council was another one, since they were all huddled together over a small spans of space. There were other small cliques that Mavis could name, but they were usually made of a few people. No matter the size, though, Mavis knew what made each of these people tick.

Except for Zeref Dragneel.

He was sitting alone, just like the day before. Unlike yesterday, however, he wasn't reading. He had a notebook out that he was scribbling in with what appeared to be numerous colored pencils. Next to the notebook was a thin sheaf of paper, but Mavis knew she couldn't see what was on it from here. She just watched him, the boy occasionally checking the paper before making a note in the book. After he did so, he'd put the tip of the pencil in his mouth and survey his work. Not once did he eat something, though he had a half-eaten sandwich next to him that looked about a day old. After a couple minutes of this repeated process, Zeref looked up, seemingly to glance around the cafeteria, but his eyes very easily met Mavis.

Maybe it was a challenge, or maybe it was something else, but Zeref didn't look away this time. Neither did Mavis. There wasn't much to see from that distance, and to any passerby, Mavis staring into a boy's eyes from across a cafeteria would look either remarkably strange or romantic. But Mavis did see something more in those eyes: she saw a contradiction. Mavis saw a boy who wanted to be alone, but who wanted friends. A boy who wanted to cry, but also wanted to laugh. A boy who wanted to love, but all he could do was-

"Earthland to Mavis. Are you with us Commander Vermillion?" Mavis finally turned her eyes away from Zeref's unrelenting gaze. Yuri was tugging on her wing headpieces teasingly. "You were totally spacing out."

"Sorry," Mavis said. She took another look and saw that Zeref had returned to his work. Yuri appeared to catch her staring, because he followed her gaze.

"Are you staring at Dragneel?" he asked incredulously. "Don't tell me you're developing some sort of crush on that…that…that spriggan?"

"Yuri, don't be rude!" Rita chastised him.

"Hey, I'm not letting some antisocial asshole steal our group's lovely fairy away," Yuri commented distastefully.

"He isn't an asshole," Mavis said quietly, but Yuri heard her. "He's a puzzle…one I haven't been able to figure out yet. And I don't have a crush on him. You know I just like making friends."

"Fine," Yuri humphed in defeat. "But if he puts the moves on you, he'll meet my lightning-fast fist."

Mavis sighed at Yuri's well-meaning but ultimately idle threats. The bell rang and Mavis grabbed her bag to get out of the lunchroom and to her next class. Zera caught up somewhere in between. For a mere moment, the dark haired girl said nothing until she obviously couldn't help herself. "What crawled up Yuri's butt, huh?"

"He's overprotective, I guess," Mavis admitted. "He doesn't need to worry, though. Despite his accidental comment this morning, Zeref isn't the kind of person to go hitting on a girl he just met."

"For the record, you just met him but you're talking like you know him."

"I don't," Mavis flung her bag next to her next class' desk as she answered. "I don't know him at all. He just reminds me of me, and I know myself."

"Whatever you say, Mavis," Zera laughed out, obviously not entirely sold on the whole situation. Mavis turned to her now splayed notebook and frowned down at it. Zera and the others couldn't understand. Yuri, Precht, and Warrod had known each other since preschool and Rita had come along in elementary school. Zera, of course, had been an absolute terror to Mavis in their more formative years and was always surrounded by other kids. By comparison, Mavis had been alone. No one else could understand that despair of loneliness, and seeing it embedded so deeply in Zeref's eyes, nailed down by hurt and anguish, just made Mavis want to reach in and take it away.

Zera questioned Mavis' intentions no more, and she must have passed those same feelings along to the rest of the group because none of them mentioned the occurrence at lunch when they all met up again in band. Mavis didn't even think about it. Zeref was, very much, the least of her worries. Perfecting a rather lackluster show, however, had ratcheted up there, compounded by the very lazy students. Her fellow bandmates didn't seem to care how sluggishly they moved to the field. As Zera would have essentially told her, why bother caring when all they were here to do was make the football team look good? Mavis _hated_ that line of thought.

It could have been the years of practical servitude, but Mavis believed in putting her best effort into everything she did. She may not have liked the show, but the blonde was fully prepared to make it the best damn five minutes of everyone's life. That was hard to do when everyone, including the teacher, was so apathetic. August hadn't even called them to order yet and Mavis was already standing on her first spot. Her fingers were playing the melody that had been extremely easy to memorize as her eyes flitted to the other students slowly drifting into their spots. After five minutes of dilly-dallying, August finally ordered them into place.

"Since I doubt that many of you have your music memorized, we're just going to run through the show without music," he said to them. Around Mavis, she heard (and saw) a shuffle of everyone taking their packets out. Even Rita had done so, with a sheepish smile no less. Mavis sighed internally; she just couldn't help it that her brain had already memorized the entire packet. It wouldn't have been so bad, except for the fact that everyone else was practically lethargic. She knew there was no way to have the show make even a simple run through, considering they hadn't even made it halfway through when August called for a break.

"You're setting yourself up for disappointment," Precht told her honestly.

"It doesn't bother you at all?" Mavis asked. "You're a senior who's planning on going to a college for music and you don't care that no one else seems to care to even put their best effort in?"

"Why should I? It's only people like us who look at band as more than a simple hobby."

"Hobby or not…people should take more pride."

"There's no pride in band, losers." Mavis cringed at the new voice, knowing full well who it belonged to. Choosing to not avoid the confrontation, Mavis whipped to face her attacker, hand gripped tightly around her flute. As expected, Geoffrey Lord and his posse were there, acting like they owned the football field that the marching band was using for practice. Behind her, Mavis' friends gathered close, like they wanted to jump in and shield her. Mavis wore a defiant look, though.

"Yes, there is." Mavis' statement was short, but it rippled across the entire band, drawing all eyes to the two groups facing off. The other band students stopped what they were doing and clustered themselves in groups on a slow approach. Even the teacher seemed to notice and was stepping over warily. "There's more pride in being a musician than you can imagine."

"Mavis, calm down," Yuri started to warn her. Mavis cut him off in her mind, but more than that, his warning was drowned by the cackle of Geoffrey and his cronies. It set the entire band on edge and she could feel his laugh raising the hairs on just about everyone. Mavis didn't move once during the entire ordeal. Eventually, he stopped laughing and stepped closer, proving his height superiority over the blonde. Mavis didn't even flinch.

"You're delusional," he chuckled out as he stared down at her with a smirk. "You also need to learn your place. The band is a sideshow. You see this football field you're standing on, Vermillion? We own it. People come here to watch _us_. They come here to see the kind of the field, not the court jesters."

"It's a field with lines on it. Nobody owns it," Mavis said coldly. "It must have hurt your brain to even come up with such an analogy."

"No talking down to the king, Vermillion." Now, Geoffrey was trying to intimidate her by using his finger to tilt her chin upward, continually smirking at her.

"You're not a king. You're just a bunch of skull heads…no…you're just phantoms. You may be here now, but you're fleeting, just like your so-called authority."

"She's joking," Warrod finally shouted out. He and Yuri broke away from the crowd to push Mavis away from Geoffrey. Mavis scowled at their protective nature and put her hands right between them. She didn't need protecting; she'd confront Lord on her own.

Geoffrey was no longer smiling when Mavis faced him again. It was obvious that he didn't like his authority being challenged by some band geek a head shorter than him, and a girl no less. The very thought gave Mavis confidence as she stepped forward. Truthfully, she had no idea what was compelling her to stand up like this. It could have been the year of continual bullying, or it was Mavis' love of music. None of it made a difference. Her simple statement that had challenged Geoffrey Lord's rule over the student body was like an earthquake.

She didn't know it, and no one could have predicted it, but her next statement was the one that changed Magnolia High forever.

"The band program is better than the football team will ever be!"

Silence. Geoffrey and his gang were shocked speechless enough to wear the most appropriate dumbstruck looks on their faces. Everyone else on the field was just as quiet. Mavis wasn't even sure if any of them were even breathing, though August looked close to tears of despair. The blonde, herself, was trying to regulate her own breathing from her proclamation. Finally, Geoffrey recovered with a shake of his head and he began to laugh.

"That's rich! _You_ better than _us_!" His friends laughed nervously behind him, obviously still unsettled. When Geoffrey had finished his derisive snorting, he leaned back in, getting close to Mavis' face. His breath smelled like garlic and Mavis wrinkled her nose, but refused to back away. Then, in the nastiest snarl he could muster, Geoffrey simply said, "Prove it."

"Name your challenge and we'll take it." This sent the entire band atwitter, with most of the murmurings sounding either frightened or downright mutinous. Geoffrey pulled back, obviously surprised that Mavis had actually decided to accept his challenge. She figured that she could use it to her advantage.

"All right," he said, his snarl turning into a scowl and then into a smirk. "I'll give you until the end of the season since that's when your job in supporting us ends. We'll leave it up to the school and the students as to which is better."

"How?" Mavis asked skeptically, her mind running through every possible simulation to find the most probable chance of victory. Geoffrey tapped his finger to his chin in thought for a few moments before he appeared to have decided on a solution.

"A poll. We'll have student council run a poll at every game asking why the students came to the game. If, by the end of the season, the students are coming more for the band than the games, I'll concede your point. Otherwise…the band ceases all operations during the season, and you become a cheerleader in support of the team, Vermillion."

"Fair, but I think we should add a second category of what impressed them more at the end of the game: the football team, or our show. Also, if we win, the football team gives up half its practice time and budget in all subsequent seasons to the band program." Geoffrey seemed to struggle with the notion of understanding Mavis' terms and how they could benefit her, but when he seemed to figure there was no way he could walk out of the deal a loser, he smiled and held out his hand.

"Deal." Mavis grasped his hand, feeling it almost crushing hers and they shook. The sound returned to Mavis in a veritable barrage, mostly as a volley of insults. Geoffrey and his group started walking away. "I'll tell coach about our little wager, Vermillion, so no slipping out of it."

"I wouldn't want to." She wasn't sure if he'd heard her determination, but Mavis held a fire anyway.

"Why would you do that?"

"Are you stupid, Vermillion?"

"She's crazy! You can't take on Geoffrey Lord!" The incredulous insults washed over Mavis as she remained defiant. The students were starting to close ranks around her, like an angry mob that wanted to tear her to shreds. "We can't do this! Our band program sucks! There's no way-"

"Quiet!" Precht's voice had boomed over the encroaching crowd and he put a supporting hand on Mavis' shoulder. "What's done is done. There's no point bellyaching over it."

"But she-"

"Mavis made a deal. Will you act like children and attack her, or are you going to even try and honor her spirit by helping to improve the band to the point that maybe we can be better than we are? !" Precht's question appeared to quell the wrath of the surrounding students. Mavis looked into each one of their eyes and saw the same emotions: anger, irritation and just a pinch of despair. All of it was directed at her. Yet, one by one, the students turned away until the only one left was the teacher. August just looked at her with disappointment before he, too, turned away and started calling the students to go inside. "You _were_ reckless, Mavis."

"I don't care," Mavis replied to Precht in admonition. "I had to do something. We can't just keep capitulating to them because of their supposed standing. I will make this band program better than ever!"

With those words of defiance, Mavis shook off Precht's hand and stormed inside. As she packed up her flute and her bags, she ignored the murderous mutterings of every other student in the room. Eventually, though, it became too loud for even her to bear and she just stopped whatever she was doing and waited. She waited until every person that was wishing her ill will was gone. Even her friends didn't attempt to console her, each of them leaving without a word of either encouragement or remonstration. The band room was nearly empty when Mavis had finished gathering her things and left, joining up with Zera just outside.

"I support you," Zera told her when they reached the entrance courtyard. "I think it's high time we knock those jerks down a couple pegs, you know."

"Thanks," Mavis said with a quick exhale in the direction of her bangs. "Honestly, I have no idea if we can even make it happen. The other students obviously hate me now."

"They'll come round and we'll figure something out," Zera assured her. Mavis merely nodded, some of that spark of hope now leaving her. Zera said no more either and they continued silently along the sidewalk. Along the way, Zera tapped her shoulder and she looked up.

They were nearing the bus stop and sitting there, all alone, was Zeref, his head once more stuck in that book of his. The two girls approached him and he hardly looked up until they were practically next to him. Even then, he only lowered his book a mere fraction to peer over the top of it. Somehow, Mavis was relieved to see that he wasn't looking at her with any anger or negative emotions. At worst, his stare was apathetic.

"Why're you taking the bus?" Zera blurted out. Mavis looked at her for her somewhat insensitive comment, but said nothing to her. Instead, she addressed Zeref.

"You know this bus takes you out of town, right?" Mavis asked, trying to be kind and offer information. Zeref didn't seem to think so because he finally sighed while snapping his book shut and placing it down on the bench. In the very short distance, Mavis could hear the sound of the bus approaching.

"Why do you keep coming back?" he snapped to her. "Why do you insist on talking to me?"

Mavis blinked a little while the bus pulled to a stop beside her. Zeref stood, grabbing his bag. "Because I want to be your friend."

"Well, don't bother. There's a reason I don't have friends," Zeref told her. Mavis was taken aback by the cutting edge in his voice. It was probably the meanest he ever sounded. Mavis turned her head to him as he started to get on the bus. "I only hurt people, so just stay away." The doors slammed shut a second later and the bus shot off.

Mavis was left standing there, slightly hurt, while Zera moved across her to the bench. When she grabbed something off it, Mavis finally noticed and looked toward her best friend. A moment later, her eyes drifted down to the object currently in Zera's possession. It was a notebook and Zera was currently flicking through it. The sight of it made the gears in Mavis' brain click as she realized the notebook was Zeref's and he'd left it behind.

"Who's…Natsu?" Zera asked, deciphering the clumsy writing that must have painted the inside contents like it had the outside. Mavis lunged over and snatched the notebook away. "Hey! I was reading that!"

"It's not nice to look at other people's things," Mavis said sternly, clutching the notebook to her chest. Zera looked mollified at the talking to.

"Sorry…but I do wonder why he lives all the way in Mildia," Zera said thoughtfully. At her words, Mavis turned the notebook over and saw an address for what seemed to be a foster home in Mildia. She had to stop herself from giggling; Zeref was becoming more of an enigma every time she saw him. Mavis turned to the side and slipped the notebook in her bag.

"Who knows? I'll just return it to him tomorrow." Zera shrugged, as if to tell her to do what she wanted. Mavis then took her arm and led her towards home, all thoughts of tomorrow and what it could potentially hold a long way off.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Well, this chapter finished setting up the plot for Part 1. Also, I had a fun time writing the number of Zervis interactions. Originally, they were only to interact at the end but I thought it would be better to throw it in throughout to make Zeref's line at the end make more sense. In fact, that whole conversation is important. Also, I mention Natsu, but this is obviously not the Natsu from** _ **Chairs**_ **and** _ **Notes**_ **. Well, I'm very glad for all the follows and favorites, but I'd really love some reviews. Hopefully you'll sock 'em to me. Sorry if I don't respond to them, but time to do so is astonishingly limited for me at the moment. Anyway, please Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	3. Chapter 3

**So, who else is excited for the animation of Fairy Tail Zero. I know I am, especially since it'll get a Broadcast Dub. That just goes to show what a juggernaut of a series that Fairy Tail has become. Now if only my series could do the same. Well, time for Chapter 3.**

* * *

Chapter 3

Tomorrow was hell.

Mavis had expected her fellow band students to be reasonably pissed given what had transpired the day before. All of that was perfectly understandable. She didn't, however, expect the entire student body to know about the situation by lunch. _I should have seen it coming, though,_ Mavis lamented when she took her steps into the cafeteria and saw the shoddy banner overhead that read "Mavis to Be Murdered at Polls" and underneath, "Vermillion's Vile Vision". Mavis slapped her face to clear herself of any worry. Who cared if Acnologia had been smirking at her all day? Who cared that the murmurs of practical murderous intent had been following her since she stepped in the front door? None of it meant a thing.

"Yo, Vermillion! You gonna pick a fight with the chess club next?"

"Loser!" cried a random student over the mostly snickering lunch room.

"Student council pledges its support to the football team."

"I'll vote for her. She's growing a nice rack." That last comment had enraged Zera to the point that she grabbed someone's nearby lunch tray (full of hot food, by the way) and chucked it at them. Both were sent to the principal's office, leaving Mavis to wade through a sea of mutinous students on her own. Jeers and catcalls followed her, made only worse by Geoffrey's face smirking at her in the distance. Her eyes narrowed and she slammed her bag on the lunch table, causing her friends' things to fly high with an audible jump.

"Peeved much?" Yuri asked, trying to collect his tumbling papers.

"Don't worry about them, Mav-are you crying?" Rita asked kindly. Mavis blinked, hoping the small tears in her eyes would just float away. She wasn't going to cry. She wasn't!

"Just sit, Mavis, or you'll keep drawing attention to yourself," Precht admonished her. Mavis gripped her bag tighter but followed her friend's advice. She didn't relax, however, thanks to the scornful stares on her. Only the third day of sophomore year and she was already being considered a pariah. That had to be a Magnolia High School record. "You're probably wishing you never made that bet with Lord by now, huh?"

"I would," Warrod said softly. "High school's hard enough without all that added pressure."

"Who cares, man?" Yuri snapped out. Rita placed a hand on his chest to keep him from getting too worked up. "Lord and his stupid cronies hold this school in the palm of their hand. They need to be taken down a peg!"

"Don't get so worked up, idiot!" Precht snapped back. "Think about it; if they control the whole damn school, how are we even going to get traction in this polling contest?"

"We'll think of something, won't we?"

Mavis turned away from the arguing trio. Facing all this public pressure was enough; she didn't need her friends adding to the heap. So, she sucked in a breath and took to her usual pastime of people-watching. Most of the people today were staring right back at her, pretty much just pointing and laughing, which seemed a very petty thing to do. Somehow, that thought comforted Mavis. In a way, it said that the student body was running on fear and peer pressure of the football team doing something to them. That meant Mavis had a chance. Her act of utter defiance had sent a single stone down the hill that could ultimately result in a rockslide which would obliterate Lord's control over the school. Her declaration and her actions could spark a veritable revolution within the school hierarchy. It was no longer just about band getting the recognition it deserved. It was about standing up and helping those other students to stand up. It was about leverage.

Mavis' eyes found Zeref, who wasn't doodling or burying his nose in a book, but was wistfully staring outside at what looked to be turning into a rainy day. _I only hurt people, so just stay away._ Zeref had been so adamant about that, yet Mavis believed she could change his mind. She didn't know how, but it was no different than the student body as a whole. Zeref turned his head and caught her eye. He wasn't looking at he with even an ounce of hate or scorn, but a measure, maybe, of some admiration. Like he had heard her challenge and was looking forward to seeing her follow through on it. That was when Mavis remembered that she'd left his notebook back at home and she turned away in embarrassment. The argument was still going, having taken a strange turn.

"Stupid purple-haired pirate!" Yuri was yelling, pulling on Precht's ponytail. Precht was responding by pushing Yuri's forehead with a scowl.

"I was a pirate for one party!"

"You wore an eyepatch, matey."

"Yuri, dear, you're acting like a child," Rita breathed out with a sigh.

"I'm not acting!" Mavis laughed at that before it turned into a full on fit that ceased the argument taking place in front of her.

"You guys are all so sweet," she said in between her gasps of laughter. "But don't worry, I'm confident that I can lead the band program to victory. I just have to come up with a really great plan."

"Why do I get the sinking feeling that this plan involves us?" Warrod questioned. Mavis' eyes just twinkled at this rather foreboding statement and the black-haired junior exhaled. Mavis then spent what little time she had remaining at lunch with a notebook in front of her as she tried writing out various strategies.

None of them were very successful and prompted Mavis to hide the notebook underneath her other school stuff in the classroom. Sometimes she'd be hit by an idea and would dart underneath her class notebook to jot it down, earning a very bewildered glance from Zera (who had returned from the principal's office midway through class). By the end of the final period before band, Mavis had three whole pages full of viable and not-so-viable strategies. This was about the moment that Zera swiped the book out of her hand.

"'Bribe students, five percent chance of success'…" Zera read aloud, her eyes almost bulging out of her head. "'Work with other student organizations, twenty percent chance of success'…You're really thinking this one out, aren't you?"

"I'm determined," Mavis answered, wrapping her hair into a bun on her head.

"Determination's great and all, but hardly matters if the other students aren't taking it seriously."

"They just need to find the right inspiration, that's all," the blonde insisted when they pushed the doors to the band room open.

"Oh, you've inspired them, all right," Zera concluded.

To Mavis' dismay, she had inspired them in the opposite direction. Every single student in the room was levelling a glare of some sort at her. This was _not_ the kind of revolution she was hoping to inspire. Rather than turning the tables on Lord and the rest of the team, they'd turned on her. Even worse, the animosity almost made certain that band practice was an unmitigated disaster, aided by the softly falling mist. No one wanted to perform the show and at least five students tried to trip Mavis out of frustration. Had Rita not been there to catch her, Mavis was sure she'd have received a face full of dirt. The negative feelings were compounded by Lord and a bunch of other students from study hall watching them with a rather callous cheer.

 _Mavis, the Fairy who fell_

 _Dragging the rest off to Hell_

 _You should know that your face_

 _Belongs at our feet, that's your place_

Mavis tried to ignore them, and Rita encouraged her to do so, but when half of the band refused to practice and joined in the cheer, that became pretty much impossible. She held the tears in and just tried to keep the practice going as the students formed a ring around her, with Lord and his group joining in. He didn't do any cheering himself, but continued to leer at her with a grin that said, "Ready to give up yet?". Mavis couldn't take it, so with some help from Yuri, Warrod and Precht, she blasted away from the crowd and ran to the school, hoping to find some solace in a practice room. She didn't expect to find anyone else in the room.

"Z-Zeref," she hiccupped, embarrassed that he was here and had seen her in such a state.

"Don't cry," he said simply. "Don't give them the satisfaction. You're better than that." Zeref snapped his trumpet case shut and left the room. Mavis stared after him, feeling whatever tears had threatened to prick her eyes begin to dry. Another sound echoed behind her and Mavis turned to see August enter the room.

"My office, Mavis," he said, jerking his head toward said room. Mavis swallowed the lump in her throat and followed the teacher into the room. Seconds after she had sat down in the only other chair in the room, the door snapped shut and August sat across from her. "You want some tea?"

"No, thank you," Mavis said, feeling utterly nervous.

"Mavis…what you did was ridiculously foolish," August told her sternly. She couldn't look up at him. Mavis knew a talking-to when she heard one, having gotten one from Jezelf almost once a day.

"So everyone tells me," Mavis spat bitterly.

"That said, you are my student and I cannot condone the actions of the other students. I'll have a talk with the principal about Lord and his unsavory tactics." Mavis still refused to look at the older man, knowing she was about to be shamed into giving up the competition. "Now, I'm assuming you have some sort of plan for overcoming this obstacle."

"I…what?" Mavis' face shot up to stare at August, who was smiling at her.

"Mavis, when you entered the program last year, I was shocked," August began. Outside, the students looked to be hobbling back into the room. Some of them looked beaten up. "You were so passionate about music it put everyone else here to shame. It even reignited my own passion, buried underneath the school bureaucracy and Acnologia's tyranny. No other student had inspired that. Then you had the confidence to stand up to Mr. Lord, who's a student version of Acnologia given the rumors that circulate around the faculty room."

"Mr. August…I don't quite understand."

"Then let me be transparent. I am on your side, Mavis." Mavis swallowed again, this time for an entirely different reason than when she was first called into the office. "I may act like I could care less, but that's because it's how I'm supposed to act. A student standing up to the established system…well, that's not _my_ fault."

"So, you're saying you'll help me?" Mavis asked with a smidgen of hope in her voice.

"If you come up with a plan, even if you change the program, I'll help you implement it. You can even leave the students to me. They were unnecessarily cruel." Mavis found herself smiling again.

"Sir, what exactly changed your mind? You didn't seem happy about it yesterday," she asked.

"Time, Mavis. I gave it some thought and after seeing what you're up against, I couldn't help it. I want to support a student with the same passion as myself."

"Thank you, Mr. August!" Mavis said excitedly, her fervor back in full force.

"No need for thanks. Let's make our program proud."

* * *

Doing so was easier said than done. August's support was a much needed boon, certainly, but it made coming up with a strategy no easier. The students were no longer harping on her and some had come to apologize, having been swept up in the peer pressure. At the bare minimum, it made it easier for her to think, but that didn't guarantee coming up with a plan. Even if it did, most of her plans had to do with changing the students' viewpoints, which was harder than simply making a better show. Of course, making a better show was proving to be impossible. Music, she understood and could tweak to make a lovely, elegant, and yet simplistic piece. The actual footwork remained elusive. She could comprehend the dots and lines and squiggles when it told just _her_ where to move. Making that work for everyone else was a completely different challenge.

The others were no help at all, as only Precht was knowledgeable enough to help and he was drowning in a pile of senior-year homework by the end of the week. This meant that Mavis was floundering by the time Friday night arrived. She was resolved to come up with something great, though, and after making dinner that evening, she returned to her room and began scratching out ideas in her notebook. Then her pencil ran out of lead. Looking around her meager desk, she tried looking for another piece of lead, or maybe a pen, but couldn't find any. Realizing that this meant she'd have to ask Zera, Mavis stood quickly from her desk…and banged right into it.

"Stupid desk!" she almost screamed. She subsequently kicked the desk out of frustration, causing a singular notebook on the edge to teeter over and open up onto the floor. Mavis snatched it angrily and looked at it.

It wasn't her notebook. Mavis easily deduced that it was Zeref's, but she didn't expect what was inside to be so…good. Zera had been mistaken in thinking that the book was a diary. It was more than that: it was a playbook. Zeref had taken their simple show and modified it to look…well, it looked pretty good, if unrefined. Mavis flipped through the notebook and noticed he had filled over half its pages with these changes, throwing in little annotations here and there. In a word, Mavis thought it was brilliant, and it wasn't something she felt she should sit upon.

Hastily, Mavis grabbed her own notebook and empty pencil and her flute as well, shoving them into her backpack. She then grabbed what little change she had for the bus ride and quietly left her room. The sounds of television echoed from the living room, which meant Jezelf and Zera had finished dinner. Seeing the dishes in the sink, Mavis felt a momentary pang of disobedience but covered it up with a frown and silently padded over to the door from the kitchen. Taking one last look around to make sure neither Jezelf nor Zera were coming into the kitchen, Mavis unlatched the door and slipped out, leaving her shoes behind like always. Then she ran and didn't stop running until she reached the bus stop she'd seen Zeref at on Tuesday. The bus was there and Mavis paid the driver before taking a seat.

Having never taken a bus outside of Magnolia in years, the adventure was just a little exciting to Mavis. She took in all the bright little lights that flashed by like a kid on her first road trip. Said trip ended all too quickly when the bus made its stop in Mildia and Mavis disembarked. Standing in such unfamiliar territory made Mavis realize how foolish she was. She hadn't fully prepared for the trip and had absolutely no idea where the address on Zeref's notebook was located. Thankfully, a gas station was nearby and Mavis walked over to it. She was out within minutes and heading east. Once she reached the street indicated on the notebook, it wasn't hard to find the address belonging to a surprisingly large house. Mavis walked up the steps, rang the doorbell, and waited.

A girl with blonde hair that was slightly taller than Mavis answered.

"Uh…hi…can I help you?" the girl asked sweetly, if with no small amount of confusion and wariness.

"Hi…Does Zeref Dragneel live here?" Mavis asked nervously. The girl blinked at her, like what she was saying was nigh incomprehensible. "Should I take that as a no?"

"Just…let me process this…" the girl said, holding a finger up and her other hand to her head. "Zeref. Skinny guy, right? Black hair. Pasty looking. Anti-social. You're sure that's who you're looking for?"

"Pretty sure," Mavis answered without hesitation.

"Zeref, you've got a girl at the door for you!" the blonde yelled out. Mavis felt a little mortified at how loudly her voice echoed. There was a ruckus almost immediately after, too.

"Zeref knows girls?" said a slightly younger boy's voice.

"Apparently. How much is he paying you?" the blonde questioned. "You're far too cute to know Zeref."

"He's not paying me anything. I…I know him from school and I just need to speak with him," Mavis insisted.

"Are you sure we know the same Zeref?"

"Stop talking, Anna," said Zeref, finally emerging into view. Mavis raised her hand and waved at him. "Of course it'd be you, Mavis. You guys can go."

"No way," the girl, Anna, said amusingly. "I never even knew you understood the concept of dating."

"Leave. Now," Zeref commanded with a very pointed glare. Anna threw her hands up and proceeded to drag the other boy away until just Mavis and Zeref were left. "You'll have to excuse my foster siblings. They're nosy. For that matter, so are you. How did you get my address?"

At his question, Mavis dug into her backpack and pulled out Zeref's notebook. "You dropped this and I wanted to return it to you."

"You could have waited for school," Zeref told her, snatching the book back. "I'm guessing you looked inside."

"By accident!" Mavis promised with a slight flushing of her face. Zeref considered her a moment and then turned to go back inside. He started to shut the door but Mavis threw her hand out and stopped it. "Wait, please!"

"What?" Zeref breathed out in what Mavis guessed was exasperation.

"I saw your changes to the band's show. They were really good!" she said excitedly, her eyes shining.

"They were just doodles. I already rejected them," Zeref told her. Mavis knew he was just trying to get her to leave but she wouldn't be denied what she came here for.

"Doodles or not, they were really good, and way better than anything I've come up with. So…un-reject them and…well…"

"Please just ask what you want to ask. I'd rather not stand here any longer than-"

Mavis suddenly bowed, her hair flying over her head and practically touching the front stoop. "Please help me to re-do the show and make a truly phenomenal one!" She didn't raise her head after her plea but she knew that Zeref was continuing to stare at her, considering he hadn't shut the door yet.

"I…I can only help insofar as the footwork," Zeref told her hesitantly. "I only started my musical career recently, so…"

"That's okay! I can appreciate any help I get! I can take care of the music if you help with the footwork." Mavis had looked back up into his black eyes and she could swear that they had softened for a moment. Finally, after the anticipation and trepidation of waiting, Zeref opened the door wider, indicating she should come inside.

"We'll go to my room. We won't be bothered there," he said. Mavis scrambled inside and Zeref shut the door almost immediately afterward. He then began to lead her silently towards a set of stairs. She continued to follow him, taking note of all the pictures on the wall. They were large with a number of different kids, but Mavis expected that of a foster home. Either way, most of them looked happy, even if Zeref wasn't among any of them. Mavis picked up the pace until they stopped outside a room with the nameplate that read "Zeref". He opened the door and allowed her to proceed inside first.

The very first thing she noticed was how orderly the room was. Maybe it was because she had such a small room, but her stuff was always cluttered about in a mess. Zeref's was stately and spotless and just a little devoid of personality. The only things that hinted what was beneath the exterior were a bookcase crammed with books, his trumpet, and a collection of photos on his desk. Mavis picked one up that featured a younger looking Zeref shaking the hand of an older man. Something about the man was awfully familiar, but before she could think harder on it, Zeref had swiped the photograph from her hand and slammed it face down on his desk.

"It's not nice to look at other people's things," he chastised her while flipping his other photos down. In his rush to do so, one tumbled to the floor. Mavis bent down to pick it up and hand it back. Right before Zeref grabbed it, she noticed it was a picture of him and a younger boy with what seemed to be pink hair. She also noticed that the boys had the same color eyes. Mavis didn't ask about it, figuring that Zeref wanted to keep his personal details…well, personal.

"Where do we want to start?" Mavis asked, taking a seat at what she supposed was his band practice chair. He sat in the larger chair at his desk. Once he had, he started flipping through his notebook until he found a particular page and handed it over to her. "And what's this?"

"A fairy," Zeref answered. "At least, that was the idea behind it. I'm sorry if it offends you, but I had heard around school that people called you a fairy, and it gave me an idea."

"I think it's a fine idea," Mavis answered, looking intently over the drawing. It wasn't very well illustrated, but it did get the point across. "I don't mind being compared to a fairy anyway."

"Anyway," he breathed out as he grabbed his notebook back. Given that Mavis was wearing shorts, this ensured that Zeref's hand brushed against her lower thigh. To her surprise, he was quite warm. "Our program is a slow mess of movement that coalesces into-"

"Zeref, is it true you have a girl in your-oh!" The door had slammed open and framed in it was an older man with a beard and glasses. Zeref sighed all too audibly.

"Mavis, this is my foster father," he announced casually.

"Right, um…sorry to bother you…Zeref, remember to use protection." The man got out of that room and closed the door faster than even Mavis' face had flushed. She refused to make eye contact with Zeref at the implications. Zeref just sighed again.

"Sometimes they can be so inappropriate…" he said in a rather annoyed tone. Other than that, he was very controlled and relaxed, likely because he was on home turf. "Back to the point, we coalesce into the skull symbol that represents the football team, right?"

"Y-yeah," Mavis said, getting over her mortification. "It's boring."

"It is, and I'm sure others would find it boring," Zeref concluded. "In my opinion, if the music is fluid and moving, then why aren't we? To remedy that, I started drawing a few different diagrams, moving the pieces around, really."

"You've really given this some thought," Mavis observed.

"I like chess," Zeref confessed. It was the first time he'd truly mentioned anything personal, even if it wasn't much. Still, Mavis was happy that he considered sharing that with her. "When you consider the countless strategies and placement of all the chess pieces, moving around some dots and lines is child's play."

"Maybe we should play some time, then. I know a thing or two about chess." Zeref looked at her strangely for a moment before managing to crack a smile.

"I'd…I would like that."

"Good! Then let's talk program. What was your idea for this fairy?"

Zeref then spent the next hour showing Mavis over multiple pieces of paper how he would transform the skull into a wingless fairy growing wings of its own to take flight into the shape of a lovely magnolia flower. Zeref's drawing skills weren't quite top notch, so it took a while to get all of the pictures into the shapes they actually wanted them to be. By the time they'd ironed out that, Mavis was yawning profusely, having tired out from her journey here. At one point, she almost fell out of her chair only to be caught by Zeref and placed on the floor, her head resting against the wall.

"You're warm…" she mumbled almost incoherently. He chuckled and Mavis, in her state of delirium, considered that a small triumph. Soon, he covered her with a blanket, evidently consigned to the fact that Mavis was staying here for the weekend. He then turned off the light and climbed into bed. Mavis slipped off shortly after that, thinking she could get used to this.

* * *

Mavis learned very quickly that Saturdays at Zeref's foster home were hectic. Thankfully, she did not have to learn all this firsthand because Zeref had brought her breakfast while barely eating anything. Mavis just caught glimpses of it when his foster sister, Anna, poked her head in and bustled around for laundry while making suggestive comments before Zeref booted her out. He even apologized for her behavior before the two of them got to work.

Having figured out the general plan of the show, Zeref worked on actually moving all the pieces around and bringing them together. Mavis watched him in amazement over his shoulder while he scribbled away. His hands moved with the precision of a musician and Mavis could hear herself time coding the entire performance in her head while he drew it. She finally ran into some problems at the end. While Zeref was finishing up, Mavis took her sheet music out and began to look it over.

"The show's thirty seconds too long, so we'll need to expand the song," Mavis explained to him. "That or shorten it, but that would just be a mess from one place to the next."

"That's your forte," Zeref told her with a wave of his hands. None of it stopped him from watching her add bars and measures to the music, even if it was just for flutes. By lunchtime, Mavis demanded to see the trumpet piece and began making changes to it.

"Can you play this for me? I want to make sure this sounds right," Mavis told him. Zeref looked at her skeptically but agreed to do so. "I really do appreciate this, you know. I could have never come up with all this on my own."

"Somehow, I doubt that's true," Zeref responded. She couldn't make a rebuttal in time to stop Zeref from playing. She listened intently for the changes she'd made, and after a number of adjustments, some of which were made on Zeref's suggestion, she finally felt confident about it.

"Hey, Zeref, dinner time," said the younger boy that Mavis had met last night. "You can bring your girlfriend, too."

"I'm guessing he means you," Zeref told her amusedly. He placed his trumpet back into his case and stood to open the door. Mavis wasn't sure she should follow at first. "Come on. My foster parents make so much food, there's no way even the five of us could eat all this."

"All right, then," Mavis finally acquiesced and she stood to trail Zeref to the kitchen. His foster family looked up upon seeing her enter behind him.

"You'll be joining us, Miss…?" asked his foster father.

"Mavis, and can I say this food looks really good…" she answered, already feeling the saliva growing in her mouth. "It's been so long since I've seen a meal prepared without having to cook it."

"You cook your own food?" the boy unexpectedly blurted out. "How do you stop yourself from eating it?"

"Zirconis! Stop it! We'll be happy to have you, Mavis," said the woman that Mavis presumed was Zeref's foster mother. She then smiled and pulled a chair out for the blonde. Mavis took it gratefully and with a word of thanks. The others soon sat at the round table, Zeref on one side of her and the girl Anna on the other. Across from her sat Zirconis who, upon closer inspection, appeared to be only a year or so younger than her, his green eyes staring at the chicken roast hungrily. Mavis sat there a moment, waiting for the others to take their food until she realized they were all looking at her. "Guests first."

"Oh…" Mavis jabbered out and she slowly reached out to load her plate. The others followed suit. The parents made balanced plates while Anna focused on veggies and Zirconis on meat. Zeref barely took anything at all, which explained his obvious skinniness by this point.

"Mavis, you know Zeref from school?" his foster father asked halfway through the first course.

"Yeah. We have some classes together, and we're both in band, so…"

"When'd you start dating?" Anna asked innocuously, popping a pea in her mouth. Next to Mavis, Zeref suddenly snorted into his cup of water. Mavis turned and smiled at the other blonde.

"We're not." Anna looked at her skeptically but shrugged in acceptance.

"Why not?" Zirconis questioned as he sloppily tore into a piece of chicken. "If I went to the same school as you-"

"Don't be an obnoxious perv," Anna shot towards him. "This is Zeref we're talking about. He doesn't salivate over something with two legs and a pair of breasts. No offense, Zeref."

"None taken," Zeref assured her. Zirconis looked like he was pouting, but didn't say anything else.

"To be honest, we're quite surprised Zeref knew a girl as pretty as you," his foster mother said. "Not that Zeref isn't a handsome boy, but he doesn't really talk about the opposite sex."

"You all realize that you're talking about me like I'm not even here," Zeref spoke up. His mother looked mollified. "Mavis is an acquaintance from school. I'm helping her with a project. That's all."

"She was in your room, boy genius," Anna pointed out. "Girls don't normally crash in your room, Zeref."

"Your parents are either very worried or very trustworthy," his father mused. Mentioning the situation at home reminded her of Zera and Jezelf. Zera might have been very worried, but Jezelf was likely far from it.

"Doubtful. My caretaker's probably enraged by now. He doesn't like it when I skip my daily chores." Not that she ever had before, but this family and atmosphere were making her feel rather rebellious.

"Caretaker? What about your par-"

"Zirconis!" Anna snapped and the tone at the table grew briefly, but immeasurably, harsh. "House rule number one!" Mavis glanced around at the table's other occupants to notice them watching Zirconis until he nodded his head and the air returned to an easy and natural one that continued through the rest of dinner.

Half an hour later, plates were clean and while Zirconis did dishes, the rest of the family seemed to be setting up for a game night that would involve a game of Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit and even a chess board. Mavis took this opportunity to ask Zeref what was on her mind. "Rule Number One?"

"Don't ask about the past," he stated simply. That was the moment that Mavis realized Zeref had come from just as broken a past as she had. In a way, she felt as though she'd found a kindred spirit. "You want to play a game of chess?"

"Ooh, this should be good," Anna said excitedly. "We all play chess with Zeref every week, but none of us can beat him. Even dad doesn't come close."

"Because you don't apply yourself," Zeref told her when he finished setting up the board. "You can play white."

Mavis sat opposite Zeref and their game of wits began. The others would occasionally play the other games when they were too bored with the slow progression of the chess match. Inevitably, though, they were drawn back to the surprisingly heated and intense battle. Unsurprising to anyone, even Mavis, Zeref walked away with the victory, but even he admitted that she had nearly gotten him into checkmate had she not made a single miscalculation. Still, he actually looked happy and told her they should play again.

That night, they set Mavis up with a sleeping bag in Anna's room. The other blonde had numerous questions for her, mostly about Zeref, and Mavis answered them all calmly. Before she turned the light off, she made a single remaining comment. "He's not a bad guy, Zeref, but I'll tell you, I don't think I've ever seen him crack a smile the way he did when you almost beat him. You're a real keeper, Mavis."

"So is he," Mavis mumbled to herself. Maybe it was because she felt he understood her, or because she saw underneath the aloof exterior. She just knew that Zeref had, beyond all expectations, made her happy in the chess game. Mavis' eyelids finally closed and her final thought was that Zirconis was not the boy in the picture she had picked up. Someday, she'd have to ask Zeref who he was.

* * *

Sunday mornings were less hectic and far more laid back. When Mavis awoke, she noticed Anna still snoring away, so she very quietly exited the room and softly knocked on Zeref's door. He opened it within seconds and ushered her inside. The black-haired boy almost looked like he hadn't slept and Mavis soon figured out why. Scattered across the floor were all the sheets that would eventually come together to make the show.

"I think I have it all figured out," Zeref told her. "If we can just have August-I mean, our teacher, approve it, then I'm sure we can make something good."

"Then let's run it." Zeref then spent the next two hours going over the show in intricate detail, which also involved using his trumpet and her flute to demonstrate musically where they should be. When his presentation was finished, he put the papers together and handed them to Mavis.

"I think we got it," he said to her with a soft smile. Mavis thumbed through it and felt a great rush of relief. In that moment, her gratefulness knew no words, which was the very reason she threw her hands around Zeref and hugged him. That lasted for all of a second.

"Get off!" he screamed.

Mavis practically flew backward when he pushed her away. She was so shocked that it took her a second to look up at him. Zeref was cringing when she did, though, and she instantly felt horrible. "I'm sorry…I didn't…"

"It's fine," he said, attempting to dismiss it casually.

"If you want to talk-"

"I said it's fine!" Mavis stopped talking, but bowed her head in apology. "Just…just leave. I'll see you at school tomorrow."

Mavis wanted to protest, but knew that whatever was going on with Zeref wouldn't be solved with talking. She thanked him one final time and backed out of the room. He slammed the door in her face before she'd even turned around.

* * *

 **Author's Note: This was a rather fun chapter to write. I was able to do a lot with it, and I hope you enjoyed it. Anyway, yes, I put Anna in there despite not knowing anything about her because she's one of the few female characters from the past. I may be disproven, but I don't care right now. Anyway, not much to say. Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I look forward to being with all of you here throughout 2016. Until next time, though, please do Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Time for more measuring and musicaling…That's not a word, is it? Oh, well. Time for Chapter 4!**

* * *

Chapter 4

"Feel free to come back any time, Mavis." Mavis turned around as she exited the door and bowed lightly to Zeref's entire foster family, sans Zeref himself.

"Thank you for putting me up for the weekend," she said kindly. "I'm not sure Zeref would want me to come back, though."

"Zeref has a million and one problems," Anna passed off with a wave. "Trust me when I say that you're not one of them."

"Okay. It was very nice meeting all of you."

"You take care on your way home, Mavis," his foster father said warningly. Mavis smiled and nodded gratefully before giving a final departing wave and heading down the street for the bus stop. She clutched her bag that contained the now ever-so-important papers tightly to her chest. How successful she would be with this plan was obviously still undetermined, but Mavis knew she had a batter chance now than before the weekend had begun.

Mavis arrived at the bus stop back to Magnolia just in time for the bus to arrive. On the way back, she couldn't help but replay what had happened in Zeref's room. All she'd wanted to do was give him a hug as thanks until he flipped out. It wasn't a normal flip out, and she wasn't even mad at him for it. He was such a contradiction, vacillating between sweet and helpful to cold and abrasive. She had to wonder just what in his past had made him so averse to hugs. Of course, maybe it wasn't the hug, but Mavis herself. Zeref had hardly shown any interest in girls (though Mavis only had a week of observations to go by), and he may have been uncomfortable with the way Mavis had been butting herself into his life.

"That can't be it…" Mavis mused in a low tone. She somehow didn't think it was her. Even Precht had said that Zeref was rather antisocial, and he was very clearly a guy. Zeref also wouldn't shake her hand when they first met, or even give her a high five. "Maybe he just doesn't like being touched."

"You okay, little miss?" called an older man in the row across from her. Mavis flushed, realizing that she was actually voicing her thoughts aloud. She nodded demurely, now afraid of opening her mouth. "Must be a special guy for you to be so darned worried about him."

"Oh, no…he's just…different," Mavis answered, rubbing the back of her head. The old man chuckled and returned to minding his own business. Mavis went back to sitting and staring, trying to not let Zeref invade her thoughts at all. It was mid-afternoon when the bus pulled back into Magnolia and Mavis disembarked.

The streets were busy, as they always were on Sundays, and Mavis was suddenly stricken with a rather unfortunate thought: Jezelf was going to be home. The very notion caused the blonde to pale considerably. He was not going to be happy that she'd skipped out on her chores all weekend. More than that, he'd be furious. Mavis really did not want to return home to all of that, but it wasn't like she had anywhere else to go. Clutching her bag tighter, she continued toward home in measured and rather rigid steps. _One thing at a time, Mavis_ , she told herself as the large house that she currently called home loomed into view. Shakily, she placed a hand on the doorknob and turned to enter the building. Then she counted down from the time the door clicked closed until…

"MAVIS!"

Said blonde cringed, but simultaneously dropped her bag to the floor and kicked it to the side so that Jezelf wouldn't see it. Then she waited demurely with her hands behind her back as the hulking man roared around the corner. Zera trailed after him, looking like she had just tried to rein in the bull that was known as her father. She looked alarmed, too, tossing scared looks to Mavis, who stood there stoically, even as Jezelf reared back and slapped her violently across the face.

"Dad!" Zera gasped out in utter shock. Jezelf was hardly in a state to listen. He grabbed Mavis by the shoulders and started to shake her with all the rage he could muster.

"You horrid, little, ungrateful bitch!" he roared, enough to rattle the front hall closet doors. "I took you in, and this is how you repay me? My house is filthy because you didn't do what I ordered you to. How dare you disrespect me? !" Again, he slapped Mavis across the face, only now there was enough force to throw her into the closet doors. She was going to feel those bruises later. Jezelf stepped forward and raised his foot, and Mavis figured that there was a fifty-fifty chance that he would either kick her or step on her.

"Dad, cut it out! Right now!" Mavis looked up at Zera's voice interfering. To her genuine surprise, Zera was in between Mavis and her father, her hands on her hips in a rather defiant pose. Jezelf had to stop himself from kicking his daughter in the chest.

"Zera, move out of the way," he said patiently, the obvious undercurrent of rage still visibly rippling through his skin. "She needs to be punished."

"For what?" Zera asked, almost laughing out the question. "'Cause she didn't clean the house? Didn't make us dinner? Newsflash, dad: most kids our age don't have time for those sorts of things. Somehow, Mavis is able to juggle all the crap you make her do with things like homework and band practice. I'm surprised she hasn't taken a break before now."

"Zera, don't…" Mavis whispered out, hoping that Jezelf wouldn't hear her. He didn't, but only because he was still so consumed by his own rage.

"Zera…you would stick up for this…this…this bitch?" Jezelf snapped, his features still twisted into a snarl. Zera took a threatening step forward.

"She's not a bitch! She's a person and her name is Mavis. More than that, she's my friend," Zera countered. Jezelf finally took a step back, like he was surprised by what his daughter was telling him. "That's right, I went against your instruction. Mavis and I have been friends for years. In fact, if you want to punish her, you'll have to punish me, too. I've been helping Mavis clean every day and she's been teaching me to cook."

"If that's your choice, Zera, then I cannot stop you," Jezelf said laboriously, his face going from its previous purple sheen to a much less alarming red. "However, Mavis disobeyed me."

"Hmm…Hey, Mavis, who do Rita's parents work for again?" Zera asked innocently, though the blonde knew full well that her best friend hadn't forgotten that.

"Magnolia's Department of Family Services," Mavis answered quietly. Zera was nodding thoughtfully.

"That's right…and Mavis's bruises look pretty bad today. I wonder what they'd say if they found out a friend of their daughter's was so horribly mistreated at home."

"Are…are you _threatening_ me, Zera?" Jezelf asked, all the red in his face now transforming into a white sheet.

"What do you think, dad?" Zera asked sardonically. "Here's how things are going to go from here on out. You're going to reduce Mavis' chores to once a week; the house isn't going to be unhealthy or filthy just because she doesn't clean it every day. Also, you're going to learn how to cook with me. No more of these unreasonable demands or I call my friend Rita."

Jezelf looked both ready to blow his top and slink away from the scene, but after a whole minute of what appeared to be intense consideration, he nodded. "Very well. My…apologies, Mavis. Why don't we make Friday nights that don't have football games your cleaning night, otherwise, Saturday mornings?"

"Sounds good to me," Zera commented. Finally, Jezelf turned around and practically stampeded back towards the kitchen. He was evidently not pleased about this newest chain of events, but accepted it nonetheless. Zera turned around and held out a hand to help Mavis up. The blonde felt herself wincing from the bruise spreading across her cheek and forehead.

"Thanks, Zera," she said quietly, bending down to pick her bag up.

"You idiot! Where the hell have you been the whole weekend?" Zera yelled, causing Mavis to flinch just a little. The brunette had never yelled at her before. "My dad's been on the warpath all weekend long and you've been off who-knows-where? Do you have any idea how worried I've been?"

"Sorry," Mavis apologized. "It just sort of happened. I…I went to Zeref's place." Zera blinked, like she couldn't quite understand exactly what Mavis was telling her. When it finally clicked in, her eyes widened and her lips parted.

"What did he do to you? Are you still our pure and innocent fairy, or did he, you know, clip your wings?" The innuendo-laden comment made Mavis roll her eyes in absolute disgust.

"Considering that he doesn't even like being touched, he couldn't have done anything to me," she responded, completely killing Zera's fantasy/nightmare on the spot. "I just went to him for help on revising the show and we came up with something great."

"Oh, Mavis…your innocence knows no bounds," Zera said with a shake of her head. Mavis puffed her cheeks out; she knew about not-so-innocent things; she just didn't think about them daily. Zera put a hand on Mavis' back and started to lead her towards the bathroom. "Well, you can tell me all about what you two eggheads came up with while I patch your face up."

The rest of the afternoon and into the evening was spent with Mavis getting her face to look presentable before she laid all of the pieces over Zera's bed and showed her the show. She also took the clarinet portion and changed it according to the parts that she and Zeref had worked on. Once Zera got a strong grasp on the new program, she and Mavis put their instruments together and both were surprised about how well it sounded.

"So…what do you think?" Mavis asked nervously, hoping that someone else liked it other than the people who had created it.

"It's great," Zera admitted joyfully. Mavis felt herself breathe a little in relief. "I will admit, it's a little complicated, but with enough practice, it could be enough to dethrone Lord and his posse once and for all."

Zera's words were a comfort to Mavis as she went off to sleep that night, surprisingly grateful to be back in her own bed. Her alarm rang at the same time that it did every Monday morning and Mavis dragged herself out of bed to start her usual cleaning duties, until she ran into Jezelf in the kitchen with a cup of coffee in his hand and a newspaper. She almost dropped the bucket she was holding. The sound of it made Jezelf turn his head.

"What are you doing?" he asked brusquely. Mavis froze in place, but kept an iron grip on the bucket in her hand. "You clean on Friday nights. Put that damn bucket back." He then resumed ignoring her. Mavis stayed stock still for a moment longer before turning back around in a dreamlike state to leave the bucket behind in her room. Zera's words held a surprising amount of sway over her father and it gave Mavis more time to do what she wished.

A couple hours later and Zera was up alongside her. Even if her duties had been tremendously reduced, Mavis still couldn't help herself from making a decent breakfast for the family. If anything, it secured them a chance to get out of the house on time, considering how lazy Zera could be. She couldn't thank her best friend enough for standing up for her. It wasn't that Mavis couldn't do it herself, but Jezelf had always been so domineering and Mavis simply felt she had no right to complain.

"I'll see you in class, Zera," Mavis told her when they'd reached the entrance courtyard. Zera lazily waved her goodbye and started walking towards Precht and the others. The blonde smiled and happily floated into the school. While the wager of the previous week was evidently not forgotten, most people had stopped with their pointless lynching of her. As she strolled through the halls she noticed that new posters had erected themselves over the weekend. Some were small and some were big, the biggest of them advertising the now inevitable showdown between the band program and the football team. The smaller posters were more propaganda at this point than anything, but it was quite heartwarming to notice a rather even distribution of posters in support of her compared to those against her.

Mavis finally turned the corner and entered through the doors into the band room. Some students were there, lounging about uselessly. A couple of them actually greeted her, all sense of animosity lost, as she approached August's office and knocked on the door. He opened it seconds later and she entered before he said anything. Once she was in, she took out the binder that contained the changes and slammed it onto his desk.

"Is this…?" Mavis didn't answer, forcing August to return to his desk and begin going through the bound stack of paper. With each turn of the page, his expression changed. His eyes would widen or his brow was furrowed. When he finally reached the end, he actually started laughing. "It's good. Dynamic, and a hell of a lot more expressive than what I'd come up with. I can certainly work with this and have everything ready for practice this afternoon."

"Thank you, sir," Mavis responded, unable to contain her grin. "Do you think we'll be able to perfect it by next Friday before the game?"

"Couldn't say, but I'll definitely try my damndest to make sure we do," August replied, looking through the binder once more with evidently increasing interest. "Mavis, this must have taken you the whole weekend to work on. Did you even sleep at all?"

"I slept!" she assured him. "I didn't do it on my own, anyway. Zeref helped me."

"Zeref?" For a moment, Mavis was unsure if he'd recognize the first name without the last and she was ready to clarify, but August beat her to the punch. "Ah, yes…of course. That makes sense."

"It does?" Mavis asked. Why would it make sense that Zeref had helped her to come up with the show?

"Completely. You've been trying to make friends with him since day one. It's only natural that he'd cave after such persistence."

"Oh, we're not friends. I don't think he likes me much." August, whose gaze had continued looking at the pages, finally looked straight up at her.

"People can surprise you, Mavis. They can't all be measured in numbers and figures. Zeref, and yourself I might add, is one of those people who defy all calculations. I believe Zeref may like you more than you know. Why else would he put up with you? Why else would he help you? Just a little something to think about." The teacher then snapped up the binder and began to walk out of the room. "I'll see you this afternoon."

Mavis watched him go before standing and leaving for the locker room. Unsurprisingly, Zeref was standing around the gymnasium when she arrived, his book back in his hand. _People can surprise you._ Mavis wasn't totally sure about that. Most people weren't hard to figure out, and once you did, life became easier. Zeref was just a little harder to figure out than most, but he was not a surprise in any way. Was he abrasive? Sure. Cold and anti-social? Yep. A complete and utter enigma? Most definitely. But was he a liar? No…Mavis had already figured out that he spoke his mind, maybe a little too freely. And a person who spoke the truth without even thinking about it held no surprises. Mavis felt she was much the same.

However, it didn't mean that all of August's statement was invalidated. Maybe Zeref didn't mind her, after all. He had brought her into his house (even on her own insistence) and he did spend the weekend with her and helped her. It was almost like they were a couple, as everyone seemed to want to tease or threaten them about. That was a discomfiting notion, but the step before that was usually friendship, which was where she wanted to be. The question was, did Zeref want to be friends? That was an answer that Mavis was resolved to find at lunch today.

"Hey, Mavis, Zera says you made a kick-ass show for the football game," Yuri said when she came to drop her stuff at the lunch table. "Looking forward to it."

"Yeah…" Mavis said to him absentmindedly. She wasn't really paying attention to her friends, her eyes more fixed on the black-haired boy staring at his book while he ate out of a chip bag. Feeling a frown cross over her features, Mavis curled her fists and steeled herself to do this. "I'll be back in a moment, guys."

"Huh? Where're you going?"

"I bet I know…" Zera sighed out. That seemed to be the last thing they said, or at least the last thing she heard before they were out of earshot. It felt utterly strange to be approaching Zeref in this way. She didn't know why she felt so nervous about this; it wasn't like she hadn't done it before. It was likely because of the way they'd left things. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of approaching that lunch table, she stopped in front of it. Zeref didn't look up and Mavis cleared her throat tentatively.

"Uh…Zeref?" He finally looked up at her, completely unfazed by her appearing before him.

"Mavis," he replied similarly. "did you have something to say, or…"

"I'm so sorry. Please be my friend!" Zeref hadn't expected that. Neither had Mavis, considering that she'd bowed her head to low that her hair was touching the floor and her words had sounded like word vomit. She didn't dare look up to see his reaction and she felt her face turning at least three different shades of red. She did start counting, though, and after sixty seconds had passed and she'd yet to hear an answer, Mavis decided to chance it and look up.

Zeref was staring at her, his mouth a veritable thin line and his pupils dilating despite his eyes not moving whatsoever (which told Mavis that she was way too close but didn't chance moving). He continued to stare that way until he finally put his book down and laced his fingers. "What exactly are you sorry for?"

"About yesterday. I didn't realize I would upset you, so I wanted to apologize," Mavis said, still feeling very nervous. "I really enjoyed the time we spent together this weekend and I think we could be really good friends, but only if you want to."

"Mavis…" Zeref breathed out, only it sounded different this time. It didn't sound annoyed or like he just wanted to get away. Mavis might have just been fooling herself, but the way he'd spoken her name that time sounded…tender. Like he didn't want to hurt it or wear it out. "I forgive you. There's no way you could have known…and…I had some fun this last weekend, too, as much as I don't want to admit it."

"So…?" Mavis drew out, hope welling in her voice. Zeref's cheeks were dusted pink, rather obvious against his pale skin, and he briefly averted his eyes from Mavis while apparently chewing the inside of his cheek.

"Aren't we already friends?" he asked torturously. Mavis smile wide, yet restrained herself from grabbing Zeref's arm, knowing that he didn't like to be touched. She did sit at the table, though, momentarily forgetting that she'd left her bag with her other friends. "You turned the program into Aug…our teacher, right?"

"Just this morning. He loved it, thanks to you. I couldn't have done it by myself."

"I don't know about that. You're intelligent enough to do it on your own," Zeref told her. She took the compliment by beaming even brighter. Any more and she was sure her face would be stretched into that position permanently.

"Thanks, but just because I'm intelligent doesn't mean I know everything. Each one of us brings different strengths, different parts that make up a whole. I can only do something if the others are supporting me. That's the kind of program I want to be a part of."

"You're a very odd one, Mavis Vermillion," Zeref said, beginning to actually crack a smile. "I guess that makes me an odd one, too, because I like that about you. It's refreshing…in its own-what happened to your face?"

"What?" Mavis raised her head up and realized that her hand had smudged off the makeup concealing the bruise on her cheek. "Oh…it's nothing bad. Just an incident back home."

"Your caretaker?" he asked. Mavis was surprised that he remembered the conversation from Saturday night. Nevertheless, she rapidly got to her feet.

"Something like that," she admitted. "I have to go see Zera to get some more makeup. Uh…do you want to come with me?"

"To where?" Zeref asked, though it was evident he knew where and was just surprised she had asked him.

"To meet the rest of my friends, of course." Zeref didn't answer, looking extremely hesitant about the whole ordeal. It only took a split second, but Mavis decided that she didn't want to see him go through that kind of suffering. In response, she skirted around the table and hesitantly grabbed hold of his arm. He flinched, as expected, but didn't say anything when Mavis pulled him out of his chair and started dragging him over to her table of friends. Surprisingly, he didn't struggle even once in the process and within seconds was standing before the table of confused and expectant eyes. "Everyone, this is Zeref Dragneel."

"Um…nice to…meet you?" Zeref stuttered out rather awkwardly. Zera raised her eyebrows and Mavis cleared her throat with a light giggle.

"Anyway, the brown haired one is Zera, my best friend. Then we have Yuri Dreyar and his girlfriend, Rita. The tall black-haired boy is Warrod and the surly one is Precht, but you know him considering he's your section leader." Mavis felt rather proud of herself for summing it all up rather eloquently. "So…Zeref's a friend, and he'll be joining us for lunch today…right?"

"Uh…sure…" Zeref said, tentatively taking a seat next to Mavis. The blonde was currently diving into Zera's bag to grab the makeup she'd brought with her. Zeref continued to sit there uncomfortably until Rita leaned forward.

"So, Zeref, what got you into band like the rest of us?" she asked sweetly. Mavis finished dabbing the makeup over her bruise before turning to Rita at the question.

"Don't ask him questions about his past. He tends to not respond."

"Just like you, then, Mavis," Yuri replied. "Only once you start talking, you never seem to shut up." Mavis puffed her cheeks out once more.

"It is true," Precht responded factually. "In fact, it'll be nice to have someone in this group who isn't a total loudmouth. Right now, I'm the only one."

"That's because you take life far too seriously," Warrod commented. Precht tossed him a nasty glare. "I'm joking."

"Ugh…why is our group full of such weirdoes?" Zera lamented. "And you're counted in that too, Zeref."

"What?" he asked bluntly. Zera leaned forward on her elbows to stare across Mavis at Zeref.

"I'm saying that our little group is made up of weirdoes, misfits, and revolutionaries," Zera explained. "We all came together 'cause of one thing and that was band. The only reason we formed our little troupe so quickly was because of that. You're no different than that, so welcome to our little group."

"Cheers!" Yuri cheered laconically. Rita slapped her boyfriend's shoulder.

Mavis turned to Zeref with her usual, gleaming smile. "Well, what do you say? Want to join our band of misfits?"

Zeref stared down the table, at the group that was staring back and expecting an answer. Mavis could see the storm behind his eyes as he tried to make a decision, but when he turned to look her straight in the eyes, she knew that it actually wasn't a difficult choice for him to make. "Glad to be a part of it."

* * *

To Mavis' dismay, August was unable to completely put the show together that very day, at least the music portion. Putting the actual marching portion together was easy. At band practice that day, he handed out the new program. Some students (here meaning most) were befuddled as to why they were receiving an entirely new show a week into the school year. Others figured out just what it meant pretty quickly. That simply caused another split for those who liked the idea, and those who hated to put in more effort. It turned out that August didn't care either way: he was willing to work the band ragged if it meant whipping them into shape.

By Tuesday, he'd completed the full music for the show. Since half of the band had already memorized the original piece, it wasn't hard for them to memorize the new piece. As for the other half, they were thrown into a sink or swim moment when August tried to have them run the new show with music. Mavis realized that it truly wasn't possible for the band to get good at this when they'd only made it an eighth of the show before falling flat on their faces.

Wednesday changed things when August implemented a new strategy that even Mavis didn't see coming.

"We're being graded?" a student shouted incredulously.

"This _is_ a class, after all," he told the student with a frown. "I grade you ever semester, but there's no need to tell you since I'll usually just pass you if you show up and put your best foot forward."

"Then why are you doing it so different this year?"

"Because I want you all to get off your asses and give a damn!" August roared, effectively silencing the complainers. "I want you to take pride in what we do here, as Miss Vermillion and her friends have done. Therefore, your grade this semester will be determined by the gap between us and the football team at the end of the season."

That gave the rest of the students the kick in the pants they needed to get better. Some continued to grumble and complain about it needlessly, and some wanted to keep on blaming Mavis (she'd found no shortage of nasty things in her gym locker). However, that incentive caused a number of leaders to crop up and take charge in getting the band to move forward.

When Thursday arrived, it proved that this was no longer about Mavis and her simple desire. This was a school-wide revolution that was prepared to turn the entire established system on its head. The rumors began going around the school that both August and Acnologia had argued with the principal for extra field time with each trying to one up the other. The principal was forced to take no sides and split the field evenly between them both. This small decision sent a ripple through the student body that divided it right in two: the band on one side and the football team on the other. Every other student was caught in the rift of having to choose sides. There was no middle ground.

Mavis wasn't entirely sure of how the student body had decided to vote quite yet or how to change their minds. She decided to focus only on what she could control, which was her own talents. Her own talents turned out to attract quite a lot of people. By the time the Monday of next week came around, Mavis no longer felt like a raft awash in a sea of seething hatred. Numerous students from band had come up to her and asked if she wanted to be a part of their practice group. She politely declined every single time.

Her own group was shaping up to be the most effective tool for that. Now, more than ever, their bonds as a group of friends had grown tighter. They had a goal, something that they were all working towards together. Zeref's addition to the group didn't appear to change that. If anything, it turned out to make their group even more dynamic than it was before. Yuri and Precht had finally let go of any ill will towards Zeref, and he and Precht had actually gone on to be rather close as birds of the same feather. More than that, though, Mavis really liked having Zeref around. He challenged her in a way that the rest of her friends simply lacked the capacity to, as callous as it sounded.

It was one of these moments on the Thursday before the game that the group found themselves at the local tavern, eating and doing homework. Well, Zera, Rita and Warrod were doing homework. Yuri was goofing off during a card game with Precht, and Mavis and Zeref were sitting across from each other with a bowl of chips between them. Mavis was the one eating most of them.

"I think you're wrong. Psychology is important," Mavis argued. Zeref surveyed her with a raised eyebrow. "If you want to win any kind of match, you need to understand your opponent."

"Psychology's well and good, but strategy is the foundation for any victory. Without that, psychology is a bunch of crock."

"Fine, Mister Denial," Mavis spouted irritably. "Let's take a look at Precht and Yuri's game over there. Precht is a great strategist who can lay an entire ground strategy right from the off, but Yuri's a total wild card that can throw the entire strategy off. If Precht doesn't understand that about him, then any strategy he has is pointless."

"Fine. I'll concede your point, my dear Mavis," Zeref said back. Mavis knew it was closer to a condescending taunt, but she still felt her face heat up nonetheless. "However, analyzing your opponent only gets you so far. You still need a strategy to-" Zeref suddenly stopped talking, causing Mavis to tilt her head in confusion. She whipped around to see what he was looking at and almost paled, herself.

Standing at the entrance to the tavern were Acnologia and none other than his star player Geoffrey Lord. They looked disheveled, as though they'd just finished practicing. Mavis closed her eyes for a brief moment, hoping they were either illusions or that they wouldn't notice their group sitting there. When she opened her eyes and saw the rather feral smirk on Acnologia's lips, she knew that there was no way of that happening. Lord may have headed straight for the bar that his friends were at, but Acnologia was all too happy to purposefully stride over to their table. By this point, Mavis and Zeref weren't the only ones to have seen him approaching as just about all conversation at their table had essentially died. The sadistic teacher eventually came to stand at the edge of the table where Mavis and Zeref were located. He continued to tower over them and stare downward with the smirk still playing on his lips.

"Well, well…what are we up to, now? Some illegal drinking, maybe? Drowning your sorrows before we destroy your pathetic program at tomorrow's game?" he asked threateningly.

"Each of us is overage, sir," Precht said respectfully. Out of the corner of her eye, Mavis could see Precht's hands bending the cards he was holding, likely against his will.

"Funny, because Vermillion hardly looks a day over twelve." Mavis' lips tightened, her cheeks flushed and she had to stop her hands from flying to her chest. It was no secret that when she'd entered high school she was as flat as an ironing board. Since then she'd begun to fill out quite nicely and get some rather attractive womanly curves, but it still embarrassed her when someone pointed out her previous state.

"Shut up, Acnologia." Any student chatter around the table seemed to suddenly cease. For the students being harassed by the coach, however, it wasn't what was said that was surprising but rather who had said it. Acnologia turned his head, all smirking gone as he turned to face the now standing Zeref. "I'm sorry. Please stop talking, _Coach_ Acnologia."

"Don't mock me, Dragneel," Acnologia snarled out. Mavis flitted her eyes continually between the two males. Something was off in this conversation. It wasn't, or didn't seem to be, a confrontation between victimized student and abusing teacher. There was something else there, something on far more even ground. Neither were saying anything, though, until Acnologia actually took a step back. "Look at you, little Zeref Dragneel, trying to act like someone he's not."

"That's someone I _was_ ," Zeref spat. Mavis' gaze was now fully rooted on Zeref as she watched his whole body tense, his fists balling, the sweat perspiring on his temple and he even swallowed a lump in his throat. "I moved on from that."

"Really? You'll always be troubled, Zeref," Acnologia said unflinchingly. "They tried so hard to help you, too. Look what you decided on. Was it because of what happened to him? Was it because of your br-"

"I said, Shut! Up!" Zeref's eyes had changed now, becoming like daggers that were aiming right for Acnologia's heart. It was frightening to see him looking so positively scary. Mavis almost backed away, but was too entranced by the rather intense confrontation to do so. No one said a word until Zeref did. "I left it behind."

"So, you've forgotten? Because I didn't forget," Acnologia said, a menacing growl underneath his voice while he gripped his left shoulder gingerly. "Not that it matters. I truly look forward to seeing how your own choices will destroy you and your so-called 'friends'."

"Leave them out of this. And I didn't forget. I just constantly choose to not remember." Zeref continued to level his glare at the older man until he turned away.

"Well, that's fine with me," he said in response, finally beginning to walk away. "But you know you'll never be anything more than that kid from the troubled youths home." Those were his last words as he walked away laughing. Zeref didn't go after him, but stood there feeling his whole body tense. Mavis became worried after a whole minute had passed without even a minute twitch.

"Zeref…?" Mavis' call seemed to bring him back and he briefly smiled down at Mavis.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I think I need to go."

He did just that. Mavis wanted to run after him, to bring him back and ask him just what was hurting him. She didn't, though. Zeref had his own private issues and Mavis wasn't going to delve into those when it wasn't necessary. People had a right to keep their painful pasts to themselves, and she wasn't going to pry. Evidently, though, something very harsh and difficult had affected Zeref's life; evidently something had changed him. Most evident of all, was that whatever happened in his past, Acnologia had played a large part in it. Mavis couldn't guess at what that role was, but she certainly hoped that someday Zeref would trust her enough to tell her that.

The next day dawned cool and crisp as any other fine autumn day would and Zeref seemed to be back to normal.

The next day was the first football game of the year.

The next day was round one in the challenge that would change everything.

* * *

 **Author's Note: A little development this chapter, particularly on Zeref's front. Other than that, not much to say right now. Next chapter is the first game and then some, but expect some great Zervis moments in particular (of course, that's what this story is about, so…). Until then, please Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Time is going to start moving in this chapter, but more on that after you've read it. Also, I must have been hungry because I've turned Zera into a big eater. Anyway, Chapter 5 time!**

* * *

Chapter 5

Mavis tapped her feet nervously. Or was it impatiently? She wasn't sure which emotion she was discerning amongst the wide palette of them swirling around inside of her. All she knew was that the chatter in the band room around her was making her very apprehensive. Next to her were Zera and Zeref, one lazily eating a sandwich and the other looking like he wanted to reach out and put a hand on her knee but thought better of it.

"Will you quit it? You're making me queasy," Zera snapped, polishing off the rest of her sandwich.

"Sorry…" Mavis whispered out. She couldn't form more than that one-word answer. Today was very important. Today would decide quite a bit in the future of the band program. True, she had until the end of the season, but the blonde wanted them to get off to a positive start. Zera looked at her concernedly before she turned back to watching Yuri, Precht, and Warrod act like idiots. "Do you think we'll do well?"

"Who could say?" Zeref drawled out. "We practiced, but you can't account for how the students will react to it."

"Stop worrying, Mavis. You won't become a laughingstock again," Zera sighed out testily. "The band students are behind you now…I mean, our grades are riding on it, after all. Besides, if we succeed here then the sky's the limit."

"Right…Okay!" Mavis shouted emphatically, springing to her feet. "Let's go out there and win this!"

Mavis had the distinct feeling that Zeref and Zera were sharing an amused look behind her back, but she paid them no heed. Clapping was suddenly heard from the exit and Mavis could see August there, calling them all to order. One by one, they all fell into line and their teacher began to lead them out of the band room. Mavis' heart began to pound in her chest, filled with such nervousness (which had completely eclipsed any impatience by now) that she could barely keep her breathing even. Rita was in front of her, but since they had to focus on marching, she never once turned around to console her friend. The doors leading out of the school opened up and the band stepped out into the late evening sunset.

Cheers could be heard in the distance, or maybe it was simple chatter as she assumed no one was on the field. As they approached closer, Mavis could see how full the home stands were. Tons of students were milling around and buying concessions or chatting with their friends up in the stands. Cheerleaders were on the field doing tumbles or whatever cheerleaders did; Mavis only knew basics but hardly cared about details for any other activities. The visitor's side, a school called the Legionnaire or something like that, was relatively empty. Even more empty was the set of bleachers at the end of the football field where they would be sitting.

The band stopped at the gate to field, waiting for the cheerleaders to finish their routine. Mavis took that brief moment to look around and she could see the football teams emerging from the locker rooms. While she looked back and saw this, she caught sight of Precht yawning in obvious boredom, and Zeref who offered her a very brief smile. Then she heard a whistle from the front that said it was time to move onto the field. Keeping in time, the band surged forward while the cheerleaders cleared the field last minute. They stopped in an evenly spaced block while the students in the bleachers stood. Mavis almost laughed; this was about the only respect that the band was mandated to receive. August stood on a podium at the front of the band and began to conduct while they played Fiore's national anthem. Some students in the crowd sang along with it, but most were waiting for those final few notes to start cheering and overwhelm the band. Mavis always found it a little disrespectful, but it wasn't like there was much she could do about it. With the anthem finished, the band made a quarter turn and marched off to their own personal bleachers.

"Man, look at that turnout!" Yuri exclaimed when they reached the bleachers and reunited. "Have you ever seen it so packed for a first game of the season?"

"That's because they're here thanks to Mavis and Lord's wager," Precht pointed out solemnly. Mavis nodded demurely to Precht's statement, taking a seat next to Rita. The older girl propped their combined folder on her knees and began taking out their numerous pieces of pep music. By now, both football teams were running out onto the field to the raucous cheers of the crowd. Even with their helmets on, Mavis could still recognize Lord and his posse from their undeniable body language.

"You look bored already," Zeref laughed out next to her. Precht was on his other side, lazily flicking through their music. In the row in front of them, Zera was opening up a bag of chips and handing it to Yuri and Warrod.

"I don't get the point of this game," Mavis pouted. Zeref opened his mouth, but Mavis interrupted him by accidentally placing her hand over his mouth. The second she realized what she'd done, she took it away with a blush and Zeref seemed to have no adverse effects. "I know how the game is played, I just don't get why the school makes such a big deal out of it."

"People want something to follow, especially in a school. The teachers don't want some peppy blonde stirring things up," Zeref told her, a small smirk stretching his face. "Football happens to be that unifying factor. It's a crowd event and once you learn the rules, everyone can enjoy it."

"But it's so boring…marching's far more exciting," Mavis whined. "One day, I'll make the band program so pop-hey, what do you mean 'peppy blonde girl'?"

"Just picked up on that, have you? You're slow," Zeref chuckled out. Mavis immediately threatened to beat him with her flute until Zera turned around with a disgusted look on her face.

"I already have to deal with one sickening couple. Please don't make me another."

"Yuri and I are _not_ sickening!" Rita argued, her face flushing in indignation.

"Keep telling yourselves that, Rita," Zera snickered out. At the same time, Lord appeared to have scored a touchdown on the field. August raised his hands to lead the band in the school song, effectively silencing any retort Rita might have had. The conversation didn't resume once they'd finished the song.

All too quickly, halftime was close and Magnolia was leading at 14-7. Mavis really didn't care if the Magnolia Blue Skulls won or lost. The only thing that mattered was their own performance. Lord had never specified how well the football team had to do. Finally, with the lights blaring in the dark night sky, halftime arrived and the band began to move into position. The cheerleaders were doing their routine first, which seemed boring to Mavis. She never quite understood how flips and tumbles and cartwheels were all that exciting. Simple elegance, like their show, was the best. While Mavis shook herself out of her musings, the cheerleaders were moving off the field and the drummers were tapping out the cadence for them to move forward. This was it.

The band pulled to a stop and silence (relatively speaking) fell over the stadium. Mavis breathed in deeply, her nerves threatening to overtake her. At the front, August moved onto the scaffold. He raised his hands and the band snapped their instruments to attention. There was a tension filling the entire stadium and Mavis felt she could almost hear the collective breath of the entire band. The August's hands fell.

On instinct, Mavis' feet began their movement and the notes came flying out of her flute. It was a symphony, the way that all the music came together. That particular fear banished from Mavis' mind, she could focus on her own music and footwork. Though she had no idea just what it was actually looking like from atop the bleachers, Mavis had a distinct feeling that it was probably looking better than most students thought it would. It certainly sounded better.

After a minute, the band was brought into a seeming pause, ending the first phase of the show, though they kept moving until they broke off into the next, faster paced set. Just as it had in the first quarter of the show, the music continued to sound fantastic, even if there were a few out of place notes.

But that was the music; faster was easier to handle. On the footwork…not so much.

It was fine at the beginning of the phase, and Mavis was confident. Then someone missed their mark, or forgot their movement. The blonde couldn't be entirely sure. All she knew was that she bumped into someone that she definitely shouldn't have. It wasn't an isolated incident; Mavis could tell from the missed notes that this was happening all over the band. The show was quickly becoming a mess, but there was nothing that could be done from where she was. Mavis figured that was the reason August raised his hands above his head to pull the band into a crescendo that was serving as the finale, cutting them off before things could get even more out of hand.

Mavis' heart sunk as murmurs littered the crowd. They weren't surprised or happy…they were practically snickering and Mavis bit her lip in frustration. All that work putting the show together, making it one that the band and everyone would like; it didn't mean a thing because people couldn't remember how to hit their damn marks. Mavis wanted to cry or beat someone with her flute, but she did neither as the band got back into order and marched off the field dejected.

"The hell you bump into me for, dipshit!"

"Me? I was in formation! You're the one with the two left feet!"

"Stop arguing. It makes you seem childish," Precht admonished two of his section members. "We all fucked up out there. It was a mistake. Learn from it and move forward." His two section members would have begun to argue with him if the emcee hadn't interrupted them.

"All right, folks, the tallies are in," the announcer called. Mavis' heart thumped in her chest, knowing just what kind of results they'd get; there wasn't a high percentage for good results. "At tonight's football game, the reason for attendance is eighty percent for the game and only twenty percent for the band. Ouch…"

"Who's surprised, though?" Yuri huffed out irritably.

"And, judging on the halftime show…ninety percent of students think the football team is better. That one hurts."

Mavis couldn't think. Her whole mind was shutting down and she just retained enough thought to not drop her flute. From the beginning, she had expected it to be an uphill battle, but those numbers were just devastating. There was no possible way that the band could be expected to recover from only a ten percent position with only three games remaining. It was a numbing realization. Mavis' lower lip twitched as she ran through all the calculations and simulations for how they could recover.

She couldn't find a single one and despair began to set in. Tears came to her, and no matter how much she tried to stop them, they still fell silently down her face, splashing onto the already moist ground. Mavis knew she couldn't have been a pretty sight because she was drawing attention from the band students. Some of them looked a little smug, but most were staring at her with either pity or guilt. Mavis rubbed her sleeve across her face in an attempt to stem the flow of tears.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered. No one stopped her when she turned on her heels and began on a race toward the darkened school building. She didn't stop, couldn't stop, while her feet kicked moist dirt into the air and tears and snot flew from her face. There was no doubt she was an unattractive sight, but Mavis kept on, not even paying attention until she collapsed inside of what she presumed to be a random room. Her knees scuffed on the carpet, but Mavis didn't care. She didn't even know how much time was passing until the lights suddenly flicked on and Mavis looked up. She was in the library and seconds after there was a tray of a hot dog and fries in front of her.

"Eat something," a calm voice said to her. Mavis sniffled and looked up to see that Zeref was now on his knees in front of her, holding the tray almost like a peace offering. Mavis shakily reached out and took the tray, coming to stand at the same time. Zeref gave a wan smile and led her over to a table where Mavis began to eat silently. "The others are worried about you. For some reason, they sent me in after you."

"They know me well," Mavis choked out as she took a bite of the hot dog. She also pushed her fries toward Zeref who looked ready to refuse, but thought better of it and popped a few fries in his mouth. "I…I calculated wrong. All of their capabilities, the show's timing…myself…"

"You didn't miscalculate anything," Zeref said tiredly. Mavis didn't really listen, though. A sob rose in her throat and the floodgates broke loose. The tears started again sand her voice came to her in desperate sobs.

"I let…hic, everyone down!" she wailed, her voice echoing back at her in the empty library. "I was…hic, stupid! I, hic, expected too much! And now we're, hic, too far, hic, behind!" She wanted to stop the tears, she honestly did, but the thought of just how much she'd failed kept assailing her. Words were no longer coming to her lips, but the sobs just increased in intensity, making sure that her food was left by the wayside. Mavis' whole body was shaking, all her motor movements losing control until she felt a pair of soft hands on her shoulders.

"Stop that, Mavis," Zeref replied softly. Mavis blinked, the tears finally coming to a stop as she looked up. Zeref was close…maybe a little too close considering that his forehead was right up against hers. Surprisingly, she wasn't embarrassed by it, her feelings currently being eclipsed with shame. "You didn't fail anybody. This was just a misstep along a longer road."

"You're…" Mavis breathed out. She could practically feel Zeref's breath on her face. It smelled surprisingly nice…almost like nature, if nature had any one particular smell. There was a more important detail for her to note, though. "You're touching me."

"Oh, sorry…" Zeref whispered, drawing back hastily. "You all just put me at such ease that I'm not scared of it."

"Hehe, it's okay," Mavis said. The little laugh she gave off helped to chase away the last remnants of tears. "I must look like an absolute mess."

"You're telling this to the guy who looks like a stick because he doesn't eat when he's thinking," he pointed out. Mavis smiled again and once more wiped the tears from her eyes. Zeref had actually shared a personal detail with her. That fact alone made her balloon with happiness.

"I guess…if I were a kid, I wouldn't be able to see the fairies anymore from crying so much."

"The fairies?" Mavis nodded at Zeref's query while she resumed the eating of her hot dog.

"When I was a little girl, my parents always read me stories about the fairies. I mean, I realize now that it was all about imparting moral lessons to little children, but I was so fascinated with it. The lessons constantly taught that people who cry can't see the fairies. My parents were lovely people, but looking back, I think it's a stupid lesson. Fairies are in our hearts, after all, so it's okay to cry." She finished this off with a sniffle.

Zeref continued to watch her, absentmindedly putting a fry into his mouth. "Do you…do you mind if I ask what happened to them?"

"Car crash. Well, it was more like a hit and run," Mavis told him, finally finishing off her snack. It made her feel a little better, but maybe that was just because she was talking about her past, drawing out the poison in the wound. "I was only a little girl, so I don't know much about it. The police never caught who did it, but I think they suspected gang violence or something. It didn't matter to me; I cried for days until Zera's father slapped me a couple times to shut me up. Her father's been looking after me ever since, something about a debt."

Zeref sat back in his chair, all interest in the fries now evidently lost. Mavis didn't mind. It meant more for her, and she took them with a smile on her face. Talking about something…anything, had put her mind at ease and made her much happier than when she'd fled to the library. Zeref remained silent and Mavis turned her big eyes to stare at the dark-haired boy next to her. He looked lost in thought, his black eyes staring blankly at a clock in the distance. Mavis happened to finish her fries before he spoke again. "I had a brother."

"What?" Mavis asked, unsure if she'd heard correctly. In fact, she wasn't sure if he'd spoken at all since he was so quiet about it. Zeref was chewing the inside of his cheek, judging from his movement.

"I had a little brother…years ago." He had said all this a little louder and Mavis sat up in her chair, focused in rapt attention. Zeref was so loathe to share personal details, especially when it came to his past that she viewed this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. "His name was Natsu. I loved him more than I loved myself."

"Well, that says something," Mavis giggled out jokingly. Zeref afforded her a very small smile before he continued.

"We were orphaned at a young age and went to live in an orphanage in Mildia. The place wasn't located in the nicest part of town either, so we were subject to a lot of gangs causing trouble. More often than not they'd come recruiting at the orphanage. I was ten when they tried to recruit Natsu."

"Was it just one gang, or…?" Mavis trailed off, realizing she should shut her mouth if she wanted to hear any more. Zeref sat up, folding his hands on his lap.

"There were multiple gangs, but the gang that was most prevalent was the Black Gods. They recruited anyone from kids to old guys with nothing to lose, but they specialized in kids. Natsu…he was a boisterous, creative soul and I didn't want him to be part of any gang. When the current 'Chief of Youth Recruiting' came around to take Natsu away, I punched him."

"Really?" Mavis asked, raising a very brief eyebrow. From Zeref's current state, she just couldn't believe that he was capable of punching anyone, given he could barely touch people.

"It was a pretty nasty fight and I'll always remember Natsu screaming for me to stop the entire time. I didn't…at least, not until the police came and broke it up. I didn't go to jail, but they did put me in the home for delinquents. It was a shorter stay, but I couldn't handle it, being separated from Natsu."

"Is…is that where you met Acnologia?" Mavis dared to ask, hoping that she wasn't overstepping her bounds. Zeref's current frown tightened and his hands clenched around themselves. Mavis became torn between reaching out to comfort him and keeping still.

"Something like that," Zeref spat. "He was just the same then as he is now: sadistic and ugly. Only then, he was actually attending college, which I found unbelievable. Anyway, I'd get weekends to visit Natsu, who was safe thanks to my little display. One weekend, he and I went for ice cream at a local convenience store."

"You were one of those sweet, doting older brothers, weren't you?" Mavis teased him playfully, even if she was fairly certain this story wouldn't have a happy ending.

"It was easy around Natsu," Zeref admitted softly with a fondness and vulnerability she'd not yet seen in his eyes. "I loved doting on him since our parents no longer could; that's why I indulged his request for ice cream. If I hadn't, he…"

This time, Mavis had no hesitation as she reached over and placed a hand over his. Zeref's fingers snaked out from under her hand and squeezed it gratefully. Mavis scooted her chair a little forward as Zeref continued his story.

"The leader of the Black Gods, a guy by the name of Ankhseram, tried to get revenge on me for what I did to one of his men. He apparently had 'intel' that placed me there and tried to gun me down. The store owner died…and so did Natsu. I hardly remember what actually happened, just waking up in the store with Natsu's dead body on top of me."

"That must be the reason, huh?" Mavis muttered under her breath. The two were close enough that he heard it and nodded. He also gripped Mavis' hand a little tighter.

"There was a lot of blood and his body was so heavy that I couldn't move until the police pulled him off of me. That's why, when you hugged me, I reacted so aversely. It brought back all those memories and I hated that, because I usually keep myself so in check. The psychologists noticed it, too, and I became a recluse, withdrawn in my own little world. It was only when I remembered that Natsu loved music that I happened to find some purpose in my life. I threw myself into it, eventually ending up at my current foster home. That all happened about a year or two ago…grief can make you lose track of time."

"Well, you got really good at it so fast," Mavis chirped in a poor attempt to cheer him up. She hadn't expected him to share the details of his past with her, but she was more than grateful that he did. Most importantly, the smile was back on her face as she tried to think of ways to make him happier. "I guess I was right. We _are_ similar."

"To some extent. Honestly, until you kept reaching out to me I was content with ignoring the world. All it would do was hurt me and I would hurt it back in turn." Zeref sucked in a breath a little louder and Mavis watched his lips as he exhaled. Slowly, his hands lifted hers up. Mavis could now both see and feel Zeref's fingers ghosting over the surface of her hand. Shivers traveled down her spine as she looked up. It was a mistake.

Zeref's eyes looked so vulnerable and so tender…almost loving. Mavis wanted to say something, but her breath was catching in her throat, preventing words. Both of their chests were rising and falling in a rhythm, each feeling that time had slowed itself down. Their hands disconnected and somehow, Mavis' hands found themselves on Zeref's shoulders, but she had no idea how they'd gotten there, like she was entranced. Zeref's hands went up, lightly cupping her face as though she were glass about to break. He leaned forward and she matched him, all caught up in the whirlwind of the moment. Their faces were close, almost too close, but Mavis couldn't and didn't want to stop.

"There you two are!" called a gruff, exasperated voice. Zeref let go of her face and Mavis almost jumped at the sound of Precht's voice. She turned her head to see him standing there, though she was unsure for how long he had been. Either way, Precht said nothing but jerked his head toward the exit before heading there himself.

Mavis almost sighed, the moment (whatever it was) between herself and Zeref gone. She felt disappointed and Zeref looked terribly flustered by the way he was tussling his hair. Not wanting to leave words unsaid or thoughts hanging, Mavis leaned in and briefly kissed his cheek. "Thank you for cheering me up. Why don't you come over tomorrow and we can figure out the show?"

She didn't need to hear Zeref's answer to know it.

* * *

"Maybe you guys should focus less on the show itself and more on the people that are watching the show," Zera said as she looked over the papers on the bed. It was Wednesday night and Zeref had walked home with them rather than going back to his own home. That had been the general plan for the last five nights since the game on Friday. Yet, no matter how much they looked over the show, they couldn't find any issue in their own plan. August happened to think the same. He'd let the band hear no end of it on Monday.

"What happened out there, guys?" he had asked. There was no anger in his voice, but that didn't stop the band students from quaking more than the jests and ridicule had that morning. From August's question came a flurry of excuses.

"It's too long…"

"Too complicated."

"I was hungry." Whoever yelled that last one was subsequently mortified by the entire band yelling for him to pack a snack. Upon hearing those suggestions, Mavis tried to figure out how to make the show shorter or less complicated but even Zeref and Zera admitted that doing so would dilute the purpose of the show. Thus, Wednesday evening found them still huddled over it. However, what Zera had said piqued Mavis' interest.

"What do you mean?" she asked her best friend.

"It's a popularity contest in a way, right?" Zera asked. "If I were a student in the crowd, I'd want to be thrilled, tantalized, wanting more. You'd need to draw me in because I'd know nothing about band."

"Wanting more…" Mavis said quietly, the words striking a chord in her brain. Zera was right: make them " _want_ more", don't just give them it. "Have I ever told you that you're brilliant, Zera?"

"No, but I don't mind it," Zera snickered out as she folded her hands behind her head. "What do you have?"

"We cut the program down," Mavis said, collecting all the papers on the bed and putting them into four distinct stacks. Zera raised an eyebrow and it appeared that Zeref was emulating her.

"Mavis, I thought we agreed that would make the show pointless," Zeref reminded her. Not that she needed reminding.

"It would if we didn't do it with purpose." Zera blinked, lost at what Mavis was trying to say. "We successfully completed the first part of four, but it was after that that we fell apart. We have three games left. So, instead of trying to do the whole show at once, why don't we just make sure the first _half_ is complete by the next game."

"Of course," Zeref breathed. Zera now looked to him, still not understanding where the two were going with this exactly. "By only doing half, it allows the band to remember the show better, and it leaves it hanging for the audience. They'll want to come back to the next game to see the next part of the show."

"All that's left is advertising among the students, then!" Zera announced, her expression indicating that she had gotten it. Zeref nodded and after he helped decide on the stopping points in the marching pattern and the music, he took his leave. With his departure, Zera entrenched herself in figuring out an advertising campaign based on the notes that Mavis had taken on the different school groups when this whole thing began. Despite their endless yawning and occasional naps, the two got a crude campaign strategy together by the end of the night.

The next morning, they took it to August.

"This could work…it would certainly solve the memorization problem our students seem to have," August commented. He then noticed the sheaf of papers that Zera was carrying. "What's that?"

"Advertisements," Zera answered simply. August didn't ask any more, likely because he didn't want to. In fact, nobody seemed to ask what Zera and Mavis were doing with all that paper as they strode through the halls. Not even the terrible trio that was Yuri, Precht, and Warrod dared to ask. The first ones to understand their aim were the girls in the locker room where Zera stood on a bench. "Listen up, girls! Friday sucked for the band, huh?"

"That's an understatement," snorted one of the cheerleaders in the room. Mavis' eyebrows flew upward, but she remained silent next to her friend.

"Then let's make things more interesting. Last week was Phase One, but now it's Phase Two of our program. Spread the word: we're not done yet! For every student who passes the word, I'll give you a free product from my family's music store, and that includes CDs from the latest popular bands, portable stereos and other things."

That promise caught everyone's attention. By lunchtime, word had spread through most of the student body and Zera had tasked Rita and Warrod with marking down referrals. In the meantime, Yuri and Zeref visited the drama club and promised musical accompaniment to their plays. Mavis and Zera talked with student council, and the gamers. Student Council was surprisingly receptive to their advertising and some of the developers among the gamers loved the notion of Mavis composing pieces for their games in her free time. The end of the day marked an unprecedented amount of chatter about the next football game. Only Lord and his cronies looked disgruntled about it, to Mavis' satisfaction.

Advertising wasn't the only thing they did. August's announcement of the show's phases had gone over remarkably well with the rest of the band students. It didn't get them particularly excited or anything, but they felt more confident with every step they took in the second part of the show. Cutting back on everything else proved to be so beneficial to the band that the first half of the show was extraordinarily polished by the week's end. Some days, other students would sit in on the practice. Even Lord and Acnologia would watch, neither particularly happy with the way things were progressing.

Two weeks after the first football game marked the second game. The stands this time were so positively bursting with students that some had to take to standing on the blacktop surrounding the field. This time, Mavis held no nervousness. There was no time for it when she had to work at making this show as good as possible. The football team played as expected, only their opponents were a bit tougher and they walked away at halftime with a near even score of 7-6. Lord looked rather pissed at the result and Mavis watched him as the team drudged off to the locker room. He must have been particularly furious because the blonde saw him start yelling at Acnologia, who responded by slapping him in the face. It was a shocking move, but not entirely unexpected.

"Mavis, we're moving," Zeref told her, poking her shoulder. She nodded and hopped off to find her place in the marching order. The band started marching toward the field as the cheerleaders finished the exact same routine they'd used last week.

"And now, presenting the Magnolia Marching Band with a joint composition between Mr. August and Mavis Vermillion called _Flight of the Flower_." A smattering of applause filled the stands this time before they began their show. Unlike last time, the strategy worked perfectly. The first part was flawless, just as it had been at the last game and Mavis' chest tightened as they moved into the second part. This time, no mistakes were made. Everyone happened to remember their steps and the music that correlated with it until they hit the note that brought an ending to the show. Said action effected a change in the audience.

"That's it?" called a loud student from the stands.

"The song was just getting good. Why'd you stop there?" At this question, August hopped down and took a microphone to make a statement to the entire crowd.

"The Magnolia Marching Band hopes you enjoyed tonight's show," he said, his authoritative voice silencing the grumbling students. "Next week, we'll be presenting the next phase of our show. I hope you'll join us for it."

Confused muttering, punctuated with some applause, filled the crowd as the band marched off. Said muttering was slowly replaced with more applause, but Mavis focused more on the announcer who soon after was able to give the results.

It was a dramatic difference.

"Tonight, sixty-three percent came for the game, leaving thirty-seven percent that came here for the band. That's a massive change," the announcer called. "Furthermore, sixty-five percent think the football team was better, but thirty percent of that voted that they wanted to see more of the band show to judge."

"Yes!" Yuri roared, drawing Warrod and Precht into a hug. Rita and Zera did the same with small tears in their eyes while Mavis turned to the person closest to her, who happened to be Zeref, and gave him an enthusiastic high five. He returned it and Mavis smiled; he'd come a long way since his "anti-social" days. Granted, he spent more time with Mavis than anyone else, but that didn't matter to her. If anything, he had endeared himself to her and constantly brought back the memory of that night in the library. Mavis fought down whatever blush was forming at the thought. She'd deal with her newly forming crush on Zeref later…after the competition was finished.

The next Monday set the school on fire with talk about the performance on Friday. Even better was how narrowly the football team had squeaked out a victory. The band was in positively high spirits with Mavis being congratulated and Zera constantly being interrupted to ask about the store's products. They started on Phase Three and instantly began getting results. Throughout the week leading up to the third football game, Mavis and Zera spent a remarkable amount of time at the Red Lizard Music Shop, trying to handle the flood of students, many of which bought more products than they had gotten for free, marking a profit for the store.

The third football game that next Friday saw the band entering to cheers from the crowd and an enraptured silence as they began the same show they'd performed at the last two games, but ultimately added to with their third phase in order to end on a different note, figuratively _and_ literally. The anticipation of what would be seen at the final game must have been killer given the results. It was a complete turnaround from the first game. Only fifty-one percent had come to see the game for the game, and the approval rating of the show was surprising fifty percent, tying them with the football team itself.

Mavis had never been prouder of her work and of the band as a whole. More than that, her gratefulness toward Zeref knew no bounds. He was entirely humble about the ordeal, but she knew that she couldn't have done it without the boy Zera had dubbed "her dreamy, pasty looking Prince Charming". Mavis would have contradicted her best friend, except for the fact that she knew it to be the truth. Somehow, Zeref's odd behavior had entranced her and made her wish that he had finished closing the distance that night. If anyone were to ask, which no one did, she would have unequivocally said she liked Zeref as more than a friend. There was really no use in hiding it.

Mavis' crush on Zeref wasn't the only thing she had to deal with when that next Monday arrived. The football team, and Lord in particular, were furious. They were so positively seething that they stormed onto the field while the band was practicing the last part of their show. Mavis noticed it quickly enough as the band broke ranks so they wouldn't be bowled over by Lord.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? You were never supposed to win this wager!" Lord spat. Behind her, Mavis could almost feel the band shifting into a wall, like it was protecting her.

"Well, I plan to in three weeks' time. I know you'll keep your end of the bargain," Mavis replied with a smile. This appeared to infuriate Lord further.

"You are _not_ going to win, Vermillion. I'll see to that personally if I have to."

"Good luck with that," Mavis said with a shrug. She turned around and started heading back towards the untied band students. "I'm pretty sure we'll win, though. My strategy's gotten us this far, right?"

"You…" Lord spluttered indignantly. "Who the hell do you think you are, you ugly fairy?"  
"Fairy, huh?" Mavis stopped and the smile on her face turned to an unnatural smirk. Maybe she was a fairy. It was certainly fitting. So, Mavis started turning back on her heels towards Lord. "You're right. I am a fairy.

"I'm a Fairy Tactician."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Here's the birth of Mavis' epithet in my story. I was happy to fit that in. That said, a couple notes on this chapter. Like I said above, time moves faster now because I'm not interested in detailing everything leading up to the football games and I don't think you'd be either. Yes, the almost-kiss was a hard work to build up to, and the reason I had Precht interrupt is because he's the only one that wouldn't say anything to them. Lastly, I know Jezelf's name is officially Zeeself but I just can't do it…not after I put it one way through most of the story. Oh, also to confirm, the dead Natsu here is not the Natsu we know and love; that Natsu has yet to be born and is one of the main characters in Musical Chairs and Musical Notes. Again, check those out if you have the time. Well, until next time, please Review, pass on the word, and Dare to Be Silly.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Nothing much to say. Please enjoy this chapter…I'd like to think it's what you've been waiting for. Chapter 6!**

* * *

Chapter 6

"Tickets here! Get your tickets here!" yelled the charismatic voice of the student council president over the clamoring crowd. Mavis almost chortled in amusement at the sight. With only a week before the final football game of the season, the entire school was whipping itself into a frenzy, none more so than Student Council, who appeared to be sponsoring the event at this point. "Fairy Tactician Mavis Vermillion versus Football Captain Geoffrey Lord. Who's going to win this Friday evening? The tally will be taken at the end of the game. You won't want to miss it!"  
"They're really getting into this," Zeref observed from next to her.

"Who would have thought?" Zera drawled lazily while they took their seats. The upperclassmen of their group had yet to arrive, so they had their pick of the seats. "I heard a rumor that even the students' parents are getting into this whole thing. Heck, dad's closing shop early just to come to the game."

"I know my parents won't be coming," Zeref stated calmly. "Although, I'm pretty sure Anna plans on showing up just because she can."

"Isn't that just a way of supporting you?" Mavis asked, biting into a sandwich. Zeref didn't answer her, at least not clearly and coherently. He was mumbling something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "teasing" if Mavis strained her ears. "What's that?"

"It's nothing. I'll tell you on Friday," Zeref said, rubbing the back of his head. "So, uh, are we still on for tonight?"

"Ugh…not another one of your chess games," Zera complained. "They're so boring…I'd tell you to play something else, but Mavis is a fiend at Monopoly and Zeref knows every answer in Trivial Pursuit."

"Maybe we should have our own section of games, then," Yuri called out while he sat down. "Then we don't have to worry about the two of them stealing our thunder."

"Or we could just play card games. Mavis has a terrible poker face," Warrod chuckled out. Mavis looked at her tall friend and pouted in his direction. "I'm…joking?"

"Ha ha…you should see your face, Mavis!" Zera said amidst her guffaws. Mavis didn't want to admit it, but she really did suck at playing card games. She's tried to work on her poker face, but between Zeref's raised eyebrows and Zera's peals of laughter every time, she had found it impossible to improve.

"Well, fine, but none of you but Precht could ever beat me in a game of chess, anyway." That shut them up and left Mavis feeling very smug. Afterwards, lunch turned to inane conversation and the finalization of plans to meet up back at Mavis and Zera's home after school. First, of course, they had band practice. At this point, August had begun restricting other students from coming to watch the practice on account of keeping the show a secret. This made each practice session more and more seamless. With less than five days remaining, the show had been polished to near precision-like accuracy. Even the students that had been angry and skeptical when the whole thing started were now very confident and exuberant about the final performance. It helped that they actually stood a chance.

After band, Zeref walked alongside Mavis and Zera toward home and the second they got in, the chess board was set up and the first moves were made while Zera nabbed some snacks from the kitchen. Zeref said nothing as their game continued apace and Mavis' own face was screwed into one of concentration. The two of them had made it a common occurrence to play chess. Mavis had yet to beat Zeref but she kept a constant log of his different strategies and moves, being able to recognize them on sight. It hadn't provided a win for her, but every game got her closer and closer. The last time they'd played, the perky blonde could have sworn he started to sweat.

Zera arrived back in the room with a jar of cookies the two of them had baked together over the weekend. She'd learned a while ago to not say anything to the two of them. No, Mavis knew she'd save it for after the game when she could tease her. The thought wasn't particularly pleasant. Zeref reached over in the middle of his move to nab two cookies and shove them into his mouth; he'd started to eat more the more time he spent around them. The doorbell rang and Zera heaved herself off the couch to let the rest of their friends in. It quickly turned into a game night (which was ignored by Jezelf when he came home). To no one's surprise, the game between Yuri, Precht, and Warrod ended up being far louder than the relatively intense chess battle which once more ended in Zeref's victory.

"Just one move at the end there," he pointed out as Mavis was seeing him out the door.

"I'll beat you one day. My strategy will overcome you!" Mavis emphasized defiantly. Zeref smiled and Mavis, unsure of just what was coming over her, leaned forward on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. He looked positively dumbstruck. Realizing what she had just done, Mavis flushed, uttered a soft goodbye and closed the door. When she heard Zeref's steps finally trail away, Mavis slid down with her back against the door.

"When are you going to tell him?" Zera asked, leaning against the wall in front of her. Mavis blinked, trying to figure out exactly how to respond. She wasn't going to deny what she felt for Zeref, but Zera was forcing her to acknowledge that something needed to be done about it.

"I don't know…" Mavis admitted. She buried her face into her hands with exasperation. "How do you even tell a boy you like him?"

"Don't look at me," Zera said. "I've never even thought about it. You could always ask Rita, though."

"I'd rather not." Mavis stood now and brushed the back of her pants off. "I love Rita, but she might accidentally spill to Yuri and he'd blab it before I'm ready."

"Don't wait too long, Mavis," Zera said, turning away towards the kitchen. "It'll just eat you up inside."

Despite not wanting to admit it, Zera held truth to her words. Mavis found herself agitated around Zeref, wondering if she should confess her feelings and what it would mean. She'd worked very hard to make Zeref her friend, and she didn't want to lose it just because she was feeling more. On the other hand, if she didn't say anything, Mavis would always kick herself for not confessing. It was a conundrum. Then, there was that memory of their time in the library where Mavis' wild thoughts led her to believe that maybe Zeref felt the same.

Her head swirled with all these conflicting theories and Mavis slapped herself. Right now was not the time to deal with all of this. Friday was looming ever closer and that necessitated a much larger portion of her brain to be used. She'd deal with Zeref after all of that was said and done. Feeling reassured, Mavis returned to her room for some sleep.

Over the next four days, the school got even more bustling than usual. Tickets for the game were sold out by Tuesday afternoon, and it appeared that even students who usually wouldn't bother with football games were going to attend. The old posters depicting the competition were torn down and replaced with new ones. Large banners were hung in every single place in the school, reminding everyone of just what a blockbuster this Friday was going to be. Teachers were starting to find it difficult to control their students as the week stretched on and Acnologia, in particular, was showing his side of sadism more than usual.

"Mavis, a word for the school newspaper's special edition?" cried a student on Thursday as Mavis was leaving the locker room. Truth be told, she was starting to resent the attention, a fact that Zera picked up on. She instantly called the boy a pervert and chased him off. Still, Mavis expected that the student reporters would keep coming, and when she was deluged with them at lunch, she was finally forced to make a comment.

"I love band, and I hope that tomorrow's final show will share that love with every student that attends," she said to a group of enraptured students. In the background of the lunch room, Mavis could see Lord viciously tearing into a steak sandwich and she suddenly felt the need to say more. "However, while I want to share that love, there is no denying that this is a war, and I, as the Fairy Tactician, will lead my comrades to ultimate victory. No matter the obstacle, I will guide them through it, for that is how a tactician wages war!"

The next morning, the school newspaper had released its newest edition with the title "Fairy Tactician vs. Phantom Lord. Who will be the victor?" At lunch, Mavis' eyes met Lord's, that final spark of challenge evident within them. He stared right back, only a small smirk on his face. The final showdown was here. Next to no one left the school that day, the air far too ablaze with anticipation of what was about to happen. August used that once in a lifetime opportunity to make sure the band was ready, which he was positively assured of (after all, their grades rested on this performance). Mavis began to feel apprehensive, especially about that smirk on Lord's face.

"I just feel like something's off," Mavis confessed to Zera and Zeref.

"Turn your brain off," Zera snarked. "It'll do you no good to worry, you know."

"She's right. Everything will be fine," Zeref concurred. Even so, Mavis still couldn't shake the feeling that something would go terribly wrong. She was shaken from those thoughts by someone suddenly hugging her and Zeref from behind. "What did I say about touching, Anna?"

"Sorry, _brother_ , I always forget you're like a museum artifact. All looking, not touching," Anna chuckled out humorously.

"You're not my sister," Zeref countered. Anna had stopped hugging Zeref now, slinging her arm around Mavis instead.

"Do you see how mean he is to me, Mavis? Why is he only so nice to you?"

"How did you get here so fast from school?" Zeref questioned, cutting off his foster sister's tirade.

"My boyfriend drove me, of course." Zeref rolled his eyes while avoiding what appeared to be Anna's keen stare. Mavis ignored whatever telepathic conversation they were having and shrugged Anna's arm off. The other blonde's arrival had distracted her mind for a few moments, but her worries were now flowing back to it. She still couldn't put her finger on it by the time Zeref had managed to successfully brush Anna off, the older girl leaving the band room.

"Mavis," uttered the gruff voice of August from next to her, "would you like to say a few words to the band before we move out?"

"S-sure," she said, following the teacher's hands to his podium. The band room quieted at her standing there, feeling just slightly self-conscious. "Whatever happens today…Thank you. You've all put so much work in and I'm so very happy. So, when we're out there, just remember that music is alive. No matter what, go with its flow, and let's have fun, because I will lead us to victory."

No one said anything, but each put their fist into the air, as if it were a show of unwavering support. Mavis gave a curt nod and hopped down. She still couldn't help but feel something would go wrong outside of their control, but the dedication she was getting from her fellow students, no, her comrades, was enough to help her push it aside. As soon as she stepped off, August began to corral the students into their marching line. Rita shared a very brief look of conviction with Mavis as they began to move, emerging into the starlit evening. Loud cheers were emanating from the stadium, getting ever more raucous as they neared it.

"They're here!" called a student from the gate.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to introduce the Magnolia High Marching Band with their performance of the national anthem!" yelled the announcer. The students in the stands rose in respect for the national anthem, but Mavis could see it was more than that: they respected _them_. In those two months, the opinion had shifted. When Mavis played the first notes on the anthem, she knew that no matter the result of today's game, she had changed things. "Stay seated, folks, because tonight's game is ensured to make history. We'll total the tallies at the end of the game, but right now, let's welcome our two teams…"

Mavis stopped listening to the man and focused on only what lay ahead. When she wasn't playing music, she was intently watching the football field and anything in its proximity. In the visitor's section, she could see Anna conversing with the boy she assumed was her boyfriend. Even from that distance, Anna caught sight of her and waved. Mavis moved on, watching the game with disinterest until she settled on the benches. Acnologia was pacing back and forth, a nasty snarl on his lips. No one was coming even close to approaching him. He looked so ferocious, Mavis began to imagine him with fangs and deep, ebony skin like a vicious dragon. Most surprisingly was that Lord wasn't on the field, rather he was gesticulating angrily at the captain of the cheerleaders. She looked displeased with the way her arms were folded, but she was also nodding. The most important observation to Mavis, however, was the near imperceptible shaking of her body that was not from the recent autumnal chill.

"You're glaring," Zera said. Mavis said nothing; there was something going on, and given Lord's proclamation three weeks ago, she knew he was behind it.

"Zera, pass a message on: no matter what, follow my lead." Zera seemed skeptical, but followed the orders anyway. By halftime, the instructions had circulated around the entire band. Mavis had never once let her sight waver from Lord, Acnologia or the cheerleaders. They were all involved in whatever would happen, even if not by choice. The buzz for halftime rang and Mavis stood with the rest of the band.

"A rough day for the Magnolia team, trailing behind after that safety," the announcer told the crowd sadly while the team walked off the field. Mavis watched Lord go and he gave a near imperceptible turn of his head that ended in a smirk. "Well, first off, it seems we have a change in the schedule. If I'm reading this right, it would appear that the cheerleaders are having 'technical difficulties'? Umm…in any case, that means our first performance of the night is Magnolia High Marching Band's _Flight of the Flower_!"

Mavis' eyes narrowed while she took her place in the formation. She _knew_ something weird was going on. What kind of "technical difficulties" did the cheerleaders have? She may not have been intimately familiar with their routine, but it was easy enough to memorize and she knew that nothing required anything that had technical difficulties. The drums started tapping for them to move forward and Mavis glanced over the field, imagining it as a grid with arrows representing the band and the cheerleaders. Up above, August raised his hands and the blonde snapped to immediate attention. Silence fell over the crowd to the point that not even a breath could be heard.

August's hands fell and they were off.

Mavis moved on instinct, on what was natural, but she kept herself constantly alert in a corner of her mind, ready for when Lord's plan would set off. In another corner of her mind, Mavis imagined how the block formation they had made was becoming the Blue Skull that represented the football team. The second part began and the skull broke apart while the music turned softer, the band becoming a fairy, just as Zeref had planned it. Then they moved left and over, as if the fairy were taking flight while the song rose in beauty and intensity before breaking apart to become a pulsating collection of geometric shapes. The final part was about to begin.

Mavis tightened her steps and saw a strange movement out of the corner of her eyes. Her head had to keep facing front as was the norm in marching band, but in her peripheral she could see a flash of color that certainly didn't belong to the band which meant but one thing. Mavis nodded subtly to Rita, who followed her cue. She picked her steps up in a double time compared to the song, and by doing so, the cheerleader that had begun her routine happened to slip through the cracks between. Mavis then angled her feet in a slightly different direction to shift the band into a new area of the field where the cheerleaders moves would have the minimum amount of interference, allowing them to continue their show. The students that were still affected by the cheerleaders followed Mavis' earlier example by picking up the pace.

As the music was reaching its finale, a new idea struck Mavis and she jerked her head back into the original setting, causing the band to follow direction and surround the cheerleaders as they formed the Magnolia flower that was representative of their town's name. Then they brought the song to its inevitable conclusion with a loud and final crash of cymbals. August waited as a loud cheer ran itself across the crowd, and then he gave the order for them to march off the field, their formation only breaking to clear the cheerleaders. Once they got back to their bleachers, Mavis fell to her knees and exhaled in relief while the other band members jabbered excitedly. She couldn't believe they managed to pull it off; to be able to move so fluidly as to avoid the cheerleaders' attempt to ruin their show. It was such a far cry from that very first performance when they were tripping over each other's feet.

"You did good, Mavis," Precht told her, holding out a hand to help her up. "I'm sorry…I guess you'd be the Fairy Tactician, wouldn't you?"

"Right now, I'm just trying to keep my knees from buckling beneath me," she whispered out. Precht gave her a rare smile as he helped her to the bleachers. The anticipation was immense to sit through the second half of the game. She had no idea how any of this would turn out. All she did know was that the principal was letting the cheerleaders have it, and they had to leave the field for the rest of the game.

"They claim Lord and Acnologia threatened them after bribing didn't work," Warrod explained after hearing the gossip at the concession stand. "Not sure how much the principal believes them, but maybe we'll win by default. I'm just joking, of course."

Mavis did feel a little bad for the girls, but let it pass in favor of steeling her mind for whatever the results would be. The teams returned to the field. Mavis was on autopilot, playing when she needed to play, but otherwise oblivious to the teams battling it out on the field. Instead, she imagined the band back on that field in front of a panel of judges and a roaring crowd. That may have been a far off dream, but she still imagined it was possible.

"Game's over," Zera said in a low mutter. Mavis gave a small look to the scoreboard: Magnolia had lost by one point. It hadn't been the first time they'd lost that season, but the final home game was a different story. Mavis stood, seeing Lord looking exhausted and angry. His arms were folded and surly but he still held a swagger, like he was sure to win this competition.

"All right, folks, the final tallies are in!" cried the announcer only minutes after the game ended. "For tonight's game, ninety-four percent came for the band's final performance." Mavis' heart clenched with hope burgeoning inside it. "Now, for the results you've been waiting for. Despite interference on the field tonight, we've decided to keep the results as is. Who has won the contest that we've seen developing? According to the students…"

"Come on…" Zera whispered, grasping Mavis' hand in assurance.

"…for leading the team to undisputed victory at an eighty-eight percent approval rating," the announcer said slowly, as if to build up the unnecessary drama, "the victory goes to Fairy Tactician Mavis Vermillion and the band program."

"Hell yeah!" Yuri screamed, even Precht and Warrod getting in on it.

"We…we did it…?" Mavis choked out. She turned to Zera and saw the tears from the brunette's eyes. She had them resting on her eyelashes as well. "We…WE DID IT!"

" _You_ did it, Mavis!" Zera cried, throwing her arms around her best friend. Mavis reciprocated, the two girls crying out of such sheer, unadulterated joy. The crowd in the bleachers was continuing to cheer up a storm. There was no trophy or certificate, but none of that mattered to the madly exuberant band students. Mavis separated from Zera before she felt Yuri and Warrod lift her up on their shoulders.

"Give it up for the winners: the Magnolia High Marching Band and its Fairy Tactician, Mavis Vermillion!" Mavis laughed, the streams of tears from her eyes getting into her mouth. From her blurry vision, she could see a clapping Rita and a proud-looking August.

"You…you guys are the greatest!" Mavis screamed as Yuri and Warrod led her and the rest of the band running onto the field. She was passed around the crowd, but her smile never faltered. She was so bursting with happiness, she didn't even care where Lord and Acnologia had gone. Finally, after being passed around and congratulated by all manner of students, Mavis' feet touched the ground. Her shoes had, as per usual, been taken off and she nearly slipped on the slick grass until she felt some arms holding her up.

"Congratulations," the owner of the arms said. Mavis beamed, realizing it was Zeref. "I wanted to ask you something."

"You know that you can ask me anything," Mavis answered, twirling on the grass to face him.

"Right…well…I'm not good at this," Zeref confessed, once more rubbing the back of his neck. "Mavis, do you…would you like to go on a date with me?"

A breeze blew across them, fanning Mavis' hair out as her lips parted a little. Zeref seemed tense everywhere in his body, but none more so than Mavis herself. She swallowed before reaching up to grab Zeref's face and bringing his lips to hers, if just for a second. When she drew back, she grinned at him while he stared at her with wide eyes.

"I would."

* * *

Monday proved to be an odd experience for Mavis. Simply put, she was popular. Even though the day had started off just like any other, with Mavis and Zera walking to school together, the whole thing changed as soon as they walked into the entrance courtyard. For one, Lord's gang was nowhere to be seen, which meant no harassment. The other thing that happened was numerous students running up to Mavis, from school reporters to freshmen that had sparkles in their eyes. Zera decided to grab a loose branch and chase them off.

"So, what do you want to bet Acnologia's going to turn into a slave driver after that loss?" Zera asked when they finally got to the locker room.

"I think that's a certainty," Mavis said. "Lord may have had his power broken, but Acnologia's still a teacher. He'll probably be the hardest on me." Zera had no counter to that. She simply frowned and pulled her shirt off to begin changing. Mavis did, too, but she was distracted by other girls coming up to her and either apologizing (cheerleaders) or admiring her (everyone else).

After a few minutes, she and Zera finally got into the actual gymnasium. The first person she caught sight of was Zeref, and a brilliant smile ignited on her face. He smiled back, too. Zera giggled from next to her.

"I can't believe he actually asked you out. When's the date?" she asked her blonde best friend.

"Friday night. He won't tell me his plans, though," Mavis pouted.

"Friday's great. My dad says he's having someone over for dinner…something about a college student he knew. I have no idea, but it would be good for you to get away from that stuffiness," Zera said plainly. "You know, if you wanted, you could borrow a dress of mine. We're about the same size."

"Thanks," Mavis chirped. The two girls finally approached Zeref, but before a conversation could be initiated, Acnologia barked viciously for them to get in line. What followed was exactly as Mavis and Zera had anticipated. Their gym teacher was vicious, particularly to Mavis and Zeref. Knowing that neither of them were the most competitive, Acnologia pitted them both in the most competitive sector of their basketball games. It was overwhelming to Mavis as the students there played a ruthless game of basketball, followed up by their losing team running laps until the end of the period.

"That was hell," Zera gasped. She, too, had been forced to run laps for every missed shot, of which she had four. "I get that he's pissed, but come on! There's gotta be some rule against that!"

"Hey, Zera," called Zeref as he bustled through the gym crowd to reach them. Zera turned, surprised that Zeref would be calling her instead of Mavis. "I wanted to ask you a personal favor."

"All right. We'll catch up to you in class, Mavis," Zera waved off. Mavis would have protested, but she had a guess that Zeref's favor had something to do with their date on Friday. So, she shrugged and continued on with her day.

Band brought a major surprise.

"I'm reporting to you from the Magnolia High School football field," said the reporter on the screen. It looked to be a news report from Friday night that August was showing the raptly focused band students. "Tonight has been a night of upsets for the Magnolia community. Not only did the Magnolia Blue Skulls lose their game tonight, preventing them from entering the playoffs, but they also lost another competition between themselves and Magnolia High's band program.

"To give some background, at the beginning of the school year, the football team's captain, Geoffrey Lord, made a bet with sophomore student, Mavis Vermillion, to see which was more popular. As of tonight, it would seem that the band has surpassed the football team in popularity, and just hear those cheers. Needless to say, but the world's eye is going to be focused on Magnolia now."

The report ended and August clicked the monitor off. Mavis blushed, feeling very embarrassed about having been reported on. August began to speak. "This report aired all over Fiore."

"Seriously? So, we're like news sensations?" Yuri shouted out.

"Something like that," August chuckled. "More importantly though, this report managed to reach the newly formed Fiore Musical Association."

"Aren't they the ones who started organizing contests about a year ago?" Rita asked from next to Mavis.

"You're right. They're becoming the biggest thing in the musical world of Fiore," August continued. "My old friend from when I was doing volunteer music work across the country is a member and he contacted me. They sent us an invitation to take part in the Fiore Winter Festival of Bands." No one said a word, some of them clearly not understanding what that was. "A contest. We've been asked to take part on the first day of winter at Tenrou Island."

"Really?" called out a student. August had a smirk on his face as he nodded. Mavis looked at Rita with hope in her eyes. Part of her dream of taking part in a contest was finally happening.

"But, if we're to participate, we'll need to be prepared. How about we start now?" The response to that was over-the-top enthusiasm.

Mavis was almost dizzy with the excitement that lasted the rest of the week. Sure, she had to deal with Acnologia's sadism going into overdrive, but the band was like a tightknit community, working tirelessly on the new pieces that August had given them. They were likely to be the same pieces for the winter concert, but knowing they were first and foremost for a contest was inspiring. On top of all this, Mavis felt her chest constricting in nervousness about exactly what Friday would bring.

That afternoon, her nerves had reached a peak as she rummaged through Zera's closet to find a suitable dress. Zera, meanwhile, sat on her bed and critiqued her every time she came out.

"Slutty elf," she said to one dress that only came up to mid-thigh. Similar responses followed. "Snow cone. Nerdy. You look like a windmill…I don't know what that one looks like."

"Ugh…finding a dress sucks," Mavis complained. Her foot stepped on a loose hanger and she fell backwards into the closet. She heard Zera laughing from her bed as she untangled herself from the clothes, her right hand grabbing one in frustration. She stopped before she tossed it. "This could work."

After quickly changing into it, Zera looked over her with approval. "It's nice. Really nice."

Mavis flounced over to the mirror and looked herself over. She was wearing a black dress with thin straps. It wasn't too revealing in the chest area and fell to around her knees. Most importantly, the dress went well with her usual hair accessories and had a tiny, light colored yellow ribbon on the front. "I look good."

"I'd date you," Zera drawled jokingly. A doorbell was ringing in the front hall and Zera glanced over to her clock. "That's early…must be dad's guest. Guess I have to introduce myself."

"I'll be there in a moment," Mavis assured her friend while she finished up. Zera exited her room and Mavis did a little twirl, watching the dress spin around. Only a few seconds had passed before Zera ran back into the room with the widest eyes imaginable.

"It's Acnologia!" she hissed. Mavis almost fell over.

"What? !"

"Zera, Mavis, come and greet our guest," Jezelf called from the kitchen. The girls grasped each other's hands in fear before walking slowly to the kitchen. Mavis' heart was pumping; the coincidence was straining credulity. "This is an old student of mine from when I taught Remedial Music in Mildia a few years ago."

"We're acquainted," Acnologia said. He remained towering over them and both girls swallowed in absolute fear. He seemed even bigger than in the gymnasium. "They're students of mine."

"Are they?" Jezelf asked in genuine surprise. "Well, Acnologia's one of our success stories, though I remember how disappointing it was that you didn't go into music."

"I know my true calling," Acnologia responded simply. "You certainly look dressed up, Vermillion. Out for a date with Dragneel?"

"I don't think it's any of your business," Mavis said coldly. She bit back her fear and stared determinedly into the man's eyes. He smirked and gave a throaty chuckle.

"Well, I'd be careful around that pale little sprite," he said, almost like he cared for her well-being. "He likes to hurt the things he loves, like his brother."

"What would you know?" Acnologia leaned down to get in Mavis' face and she could feel his putrid (in her mind) breath on her face.

"More than you, fairy." He drew back and Mavis noticed him instinctually grip his arm when the doorbell rang again. Mavis tried to pay him no more mind as he followed Jezelf elsewhere, but she was still visibly shaken as she went to answer the door. Zeref was waiting on the other side with a big cooler. Acnologia was driven from Mavis' mind at the sight of him. He wasn't dressed much differently than normal, though his hair looked a little nicer.

"Ready to go?" he asked nervously, evidently not used to this.

"Definitely." She gave a short wave to a smirking Zera and followed after Zeref. "Where are we going?"

"It's not too far," he said cryptically. He hesitantly reached out and kept his hand extended. Mavis smiled and took it gladly. He kept leading them forward until they reached a somewhat less familiar and more secluded place of Magnolia. What they had arrived at was a beautifully lush forest with a great tree in the middle. Zeref led them inward until they reached the base of the great tree where there was a small lake surrounding it. "Here it is. I found it earlier in the school year."

"It's pretty. This tree reminds me of the ones from my stories…like a fairy could fly out at any time."

"I thought you might think that way," he laughed out. Mavis spun around on the grass, feeling it tickle her bare toes. When she stopped, she saw that Zeref had laid out a blanket and an array of food. "Anna and my foster mother made this for us."

"Looks great!" Mavis bounced over and sat next to Zeref on the blanket. He handed her a plate and she loaded it up. "This really is a great spot."

Zeref said nothing, but started eating his own food. Mavis beamed at him and dug in, herself. While they ate, they spoke about the upcoming festival and how exciting it was. Inevitably, the conversation turned to their victory against Lord and Acnologia, which happened to remind Mavis of her earlier confrontation. Mavis debated whether she should say anything, but eventually felt there was no use in ignoring it.

"Did you know Acnologia once played an instrument?" Zeref looked at her while placing his plate down. "Apparently, Zera's father taught Remedial Music in Mildia and he was part of a class."

"Might explain why he hates band so much…" Zeref muttered out, as though the topic was uncomfortable. Realizing this, and not wanting it to ruin their date, Mavis searched for another topic.

"Um…so…why did you decide to ask me out?" Mavis resisted the urge to hit herself at such a stupid question: that was _not_ the kind of question for a first date…not that she had much experience with dates.

"I like you," Zeref answered, scratching his nose nervously. "You…you make me happy, and I haven't been happy in a long time. Anna also pushed me to it." Mavis scooted around on her knees and took his hands.

"You make me happy, too," she confirmed, smiling brightly. Around them, the sun had set and the small grove they were in appeared to light up, illuminating the great tree and the water's surface. "By the way, what was Zera's favor?"

"Oh." Zeref stood, leaving her hands behind to pull out a stereo. He leaned over it, pressing a few buttons and a song that Mavis knew as a classical dancing song echoed from the player. Zeref straightened and bowed, holding a hand out for her. Mavis stood, curtsied, and took it as the two launched into a dance on the moist grass carpet. Neither were the most skilled dancers, but neither cared. If they stubbed each other's toes, they laughed it off. If Mavis tripped, Zeref caught her. If Zeref forgot his steps, Mavis led him.

"I love music!" Mavis cried as she and Zeref spun around. Her body fell forward a little, her head finding its way onto Zeref's shoulder. "Music…it's the one thing that's always been there for me. I think…as long as I live, I will always love music and those who hear it with me."

"That's a…nice thought," Zeref admitted. Mavis smiled into his shoulder before feeling something wet hit her exposed neck. "A dream…almost…Finding that one person to listen to the music with me."

"You can listen to it with me," Mavis admitted, drawing back a little. "That's my dream: to make a program…no, a world where everyone can listen to music and work as one. I'll make it happen. One day."

"It's beautiful…like…you."

"You've always been so sweet and honest," Mavis told him as the luminescent glow spread up the tree, illuminating the both of them. "That's how I know I can trust you."

Then, Mavis stood on her tiptoes as Zeref moved in to kiss her breathlessly. It was only a minute, but that minute was an eternity in which it was just them: two lonely teenagers who felt they had finally found their better halves.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Because it wouldn't be one of my Musical stories without the lake. So, victory over Lord and Acnologia…this can only mean one thing: part one is coming close to its conclusion. In fact, next chapter ends it, and it's an important one so I hope you'll stick around for it. That's all I really have to say. Please share with me what you thought. So, until next time, please Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	7. Chapter 7

**It feels like it's been a while, but I hope you were all looking forward to this chapter. That said, please enjoy Chapter 7!**

* * *

Chapter 7

Zera had a barrage of questions when Mavis got home late that evening. Acnologia seemed to have already departed from the house, although the blonde felt as if his terrifying aura was still steeped in the dark corners of the house. Not that Mavis had a lot of time to contemplate it, since the second she stepped foot inside, Zera's hand latched onto her arm and dragged her off to her room.

"So, tell me all about it!" she said with a wide grin. For a girl who had once considered her best friend a "germy slave girl" and her new boyfriend as "weird and antisocial", she seemed awfully giddy about the prospect of them having gone on a date. Mavis' reply was a coy smile.

"A girl can't share all of her secrets, you know that," she giggled out, causing Zera to pout. "More importantly, how was dinner with Acnologia?"

"Hell," was the one-word reply. When Mavis' look demanded her to expound further, Zera gave in to her need to talk about it. "I mean, he didn't say anything, but it was obvious that he was throwing these withering looks at me the entire time. Can you believe that dick was ever into music? I wonder what happened…"

"If we knew that, all our lives would be easier," Mavis said. Acnologia always seemed so simple before: a football coach who drove his students into the ground with a side of sadism. Finding out he had ever played an instrument, no matter how brief it was, made him less simple and more of an enigma.

"Stop changing the subject, Mavis! I'm your best friend! So, tell me how your date went!" Zera snapped. Mavis grinned nervously, feeling rather mollified that she had been found out. "Did you _kiss_?"

" _That_ is a private matter, Zera." Of course, her face said it all and left Zera to be a giggling and cackling mess on her bed covers. It took ten minutes to calm the girl down in order for Mavis to continue the story of what she considered to be their magical date at the lake.

"I'm glad you found someone," Zera told her as the two girls finally parted ways that night. She offered her best friend a brief hug that said all that needed to be said in response to that. Plus, she couldn't agree more.

Mavis' agreement with Zera's sentiment increased tenfold on Monday morning. Zeref was waiting at the school gates with a smile and he offered his hand to Mavis. She took it with a natural smile. That was what everything in their relationship felt like to Mavis: natural. Sure, it had taken a lot of work to get there, but Mavis never felt the need to pretend around Zeref; she could wear her heart on her sleeve and not be afraid of getting hurt. Zera seemed to feel grateful for how natural they were as well, since it meant they didn't put on the sickening sweethearts act that Yuri and Rita sometimes did. That would have felt strange and awkward.

However, if there was anything more awkward than an alternate universe where Mavis and Zeref were all lovey-dovey, it was the fact that by lunchtime, the whole school seemed to be aware that Mavis Vermillion was dating a boy named Zeref Dragneel. Zera and the others assured Mavis that they hadn't said anything, but the topic had spread like wildfire and was a particularly juicy bit of gossip among the underclassmen. A number of them had actually approached their table, greatly embarrassing the new couple until their upperclassmen counterparts came by and dragged them off. Ironically, the only ones who seemed to not care at all were the two people that Mavis thought would have taken any opportunity to mercilessly embarrass her: Acnologia and Geoffrey Lord. Lord, actually, didn't seem to carry much of any presence within the school anymore, with him and his flunkies relegated to their table in silence. Mavis feared he would have tried to get revenge on her, but Lord appeared to take his loss with bitter dejection. Acnologia was an entirely different individual to deal with; he didn't say anything to her, or treat her differently at all since their interaction over the weekend.

Instead, the sadistic gym teacher was actually ignoring her for the first time in two years. Other than a few toothy smirks that were obviously meant to unsettle her, he treated her no differently than any other student (which was still worse than every other teacher in the school). Mostly, Mavis could pass each smirk off as an isolated incident, but they all brought a single thought back into Mavis' brain: _he likes to hurt the things he loves_. That had been a disparaging thought, but one that Mavis would brush away every time she talked with Zeref. The blonde still had no idea if there was any truth to Acnologia's words, anyway; other than the evidence that the two knew each other, there was nothing to suggest that they knew each other _well_. Mavis' conclusion was reassuring to herself.

No matter what anyone else said, the most important thing was that Mavis was happy. It was easy being around Zeref, and since the two of them were both new to dating, there were no expectations. Every date was a new experience: from a simple breakfast one Sunday morning at the Magnolia Bakery to a bowling night where they were joined by all their friends. It felt so easy, even if Zeref was still loathe to talk about himself. He required alone time as well, which sparked a small argument the first time he'd brought it up.

"I love spending time with you, Mavis," Zeref admitted, though the look on his face was rather cross, "but sometimes I need time to myself."

"On a Friday night?" Mavis pouted angrily, her brain recognizing it sounded more cute than angry. "I thought we did date night on Friday nights."

"Usually we do, but I just need a break this week, okay?" he snapped. His voice was cold this time, causing Mavis to put her hands on her hips in defiance.

"And what about me? I thought we were dating, not dictating. Don't I get a say?" she snapped right back.

"You do, but not this week," Zeref replied, borderline yelling. Mavis was about to make a counter-argument when Zeref sucked in a breath and said, "It's his anniversary."

From there, Mavis dropped the topic and understood why Zeref had to take some date nights off: it all came down to the memory of his brother. She felt rather ashamed of this revelation and apologized immediately. They had no more squabbles on that topic.

Dates with Zeref weren't the only thing keeping Mavis busy. If one were to add up the percentage of her time, it became increasingly obvious that he only took up a small portion of it. Most of it was now being dumped into one of two categories. Homework was beginning to pile up on all of the students as school entered into its November stretch and finals began to approach. Class projects increased in frequency and talking had been reduced to murmuring at most lunch tables. The school ecosystem had been upset, too. Since Mavis had apparently broken down the barriers between the school groups, most students weren't afraid to sit at different places to work on projects together. It made things more lively, though still muted compared to earlier in the year.

The other obvious reason for Mavis' limited time was practice for the upcoming Winter Festival of Bands. While the band was no longer required to practice marching or even memorize their music, their new pieces came with other hurdles to clear. They were more complex, for one, necessitating quite a bit of extra practice time. Most students didn't really seem to have a problem with it, even if it meant having to stay after school; those who did have problems were typically the ones to have meltdowns. The other hurdle that had to be passed was selecting soloists. Normally, the band wouldn't bother picking soloists, but given the contest, August implemented a new policy to spice up the program. Mavis was grateful when Rita had been chosen for the flutes, feeling that she had gotten enough attention for a lifetime.

Rita wasn't the only one of their group to be chosen to be soloists. Precht easily became the obvious choice for trumpet, which Zeref didn't mind whatsoever. Warrod was the only _real_ option for his section, and Zera was actually grateful that she _wasn't_ chosen, citing embarrassment as the leading cause. Nevertheless, Mavis felt happy and proud for her friends.

The unequivocal best part of the whole thing was how much attention the contest was getting. When December roared in with its snowstorms and frigid winds, the school's student body was atwitter with news about it. Part of it had to do with the concert that was scheduled just a few days before the contest. Usually, only parents would be attending the concert, since it was likely the biggest event for band students and their families, but the uptick in the band's popularity meant that a great number of students planned on coming as well. Mavis even heard rumors about a coalition of students that was planning on coming out to the contest to root for them. As finals for the semester finished their silent approach, school enthusiasm reached a peak. Never before had the Magnolia High Band ever taken part in a contest; doing so in this year was like something out of a dream for the entire school, and they were ready to support it. The band, in particular, was ready to perform it.

"Good work, guys," August praised them on the technical final practice of the semester. "I can't say for certain how we'll do at the contest next week, but I think we'll make our school proud. Now, remember, no practice the next three days for finals, concert's next Monday and the contest starts on Friday. Until then, enjoy the start of break and good luck on finals."

There was excitement in the band room that day as the students packed up. Mavis, herself, felt the most excited of them all, her step so light and airy she may as well have taken flight. Some students wished her luck on her finals while she and Zera waited for Zeref, the three of them having formed a study group for finals. Mavis returned the sentiments with a smile, feeling genuinely giddy.

"Sometimes, you're too kind," Zera complained as she slumped in a chair. Mavis turned to her best friend, catching sight of Zeref speaking animatedly with August about something. Her boyfriend's back was turned to her, so she couldn't see what they were talking about.

"No, I'm not!" Mavis protested, ignoring whatever was going on between her boyfriend and her teacher.

"Mavis, you're as harmless as a kitten. Those kids ridiculed you at the beginning of the year, you know," the brunette pointed out bitterly. Mavis found it almost laughable that Zera was the one hung up on it, when Mavis had been the one who was attacked.

"But they're not now…a lot of them are really sweet. They just said some mean things," Mavis assured her friend. The whole time she was smiling, as though it would somehow change Zera's mind. Thinking back, maybe her fellow students had been slightly cruel, but with the band's victory, they were quite kind. They looked up to her as a leader, and when everyone was obsessing over the fact that Mavis and Zeref were together, the band seemed to let it slide with a simple "congratulations".

"What if they'd done more?" Zera asked sternly. This told Mavis that her friend was trying to have a very serious conversation here. "I know your capacity for forgiveness is wider than Ishgar, but aren't you just a _little_ angry?"

"I see no reason to be," Mavis huffed, blowing some air towards her bangs. "It was just words."

"Words can hurt the most. I would know after the things I…" Zera trailed off. She sucked in a slight breath, changing her tactic in the conversation. "I don't want you to get hurt, forgive, and then get hurt again."

"I can take care of myself, Zera," Mavis insisted. Seeing that the frown wasn't leaving Zera's face, Mavis leaned in and put a hand on her shoulder. "Thanks for caring."

"Yeah, okay," Zera pouted. Both of the girls were prevented from having any more conversation by Zeref approaching, his conversation with August apparently having finished. At his arrival, Zera sprang up and began to lead the way home while the couple joined hands. It was still a nervous touch between the two, even after almost two months of being together. Zeref still had some adverse reaction to being touched, and Mavis was always afraid of triggering it.

"What did August want to talk to you about? Mavis asked, figuring it was as good a time as any.

"Oh…just a tuning issue I've been having lately," Zeref said, passing it off as nothing. "He was giving me some pointers."

"Really?" Mavis asked, surprised that Zeref would _ever_ have a tuning issue. Zeref cracked a small smile as they finally approached the garden path to home. Zera skipped ahead of them to open the door. They followed her in and the sophomore trio began studying moments later, though Zera commented that "you two geniuses hardly need to pick up a book to ace your classes." As a result, they really spent most of their time helping Zera study.

"So, Anna threw a suggestion to my foster parents," Zeref spoke into silence, late into the study session. Zera looked up from her practice exam and Mavis kept her eyes on her boyfriend. "She said we should have a party after the contest."

"Sounds awesome," Zera cackled out, like the idea fascinated her. "But, wait, is it just for our group or the whole band?"

"I don't think we could fit the whole band, no matter how big the house is," Zeref said with a light chuckle. "But maybe, like, ten or so other people."

"You actually _want_ to have a party?" Mavis asked in genuine surprise. "That's unlike you."

"I did say it was Anna's suggestion," Zeref said to justify himself. "She wants to meet her foster brother's friends and I'm sure my parents would love to see you again…and trust me when I say that Anna knows how to throw a very classy party. Goodness knows that she's thrown enough of them."

"Sounds like fun!" Mavis exclaimed so loudly that it caused Zera's hand to accidentally scrawl a huge line across her practice exam. The brunette swore loudly and attempted to erase the line. "I've never been to a party!"

"Oh, boy, Mavis' hyper side is coming out," Zera said. Right after, she tossed the eraser to the side, realizing that it wouldn't work on pen. "I think it sounds cool, too, though."

"Great. I'll tell the family to set it for Saturday night after the contest," Zeref said, looking a little relieved. "Hopefully we'll have something to celebrate then, huh?"

Those were Mavis' thoughts exactly as she headed into finals. The finals themselves were nothing to worry about, even if every other student appeared to be consumed by them. She had never struggled with school work, which had always helped with all the work she had previously had to do. Mavis redirected her thoughts toward the concert and contest, along with the upcoming holiday season. Usually, she didn't have enough money to buy anyone gifts, and while that was still true, the flutist felt that she still had to get something for Zeref, since they were dating after all. Having her thoughts split in so many different ways didn't affect her performance in any one area, but she was grateful to be free of finals both physically and in her mind (especially the needlessly convoluted gym one) by the end of the week.

"I'd say let's party," Zera said in relief when they left school at the end of their finals, "but we've got a contest to practice for."

"Let's do this, then," Mavis said excitedly. Every day that grew closer to the Winter Festival of Bands was another day rife with growing anticipation. The Fairy Tactician had recently looked up the structure of the contest, which excited her further. There seemed to be three rounds to the entire contest. A Friday round that was used to wheedle the participating bands into the top ten bands. This was followed up on Saturday morning with the top ten separated into First Contenders and Second Contenders. The four First Contenders would make a final performance in the afternoon where they would be ranked. Most important was that each performance had two components: a theme and a freestyle, with the teacher being informed as to what the theme performances would be. It was a complex process, but Mavis felt their band would make it through.

The Winter Concert that arrived the next Monday proved this to her beyond a doubt. A huge number of students had come to the concert, which seemed to buoy the spirits of all the band members. It was, quite possibly, the most packed that Mavis had seen the auditorium in…ever. Yuri was particularly excitable by this, having always been a people person. The strangest surprise that evening was something Precht reported on observing.

"I think I saw Acnologia in the audience," he said after the band had finished tuning, but before they went to take their seats.

"Is Dickface Lord with him?" Yuri spat. "'Cause if they plan on interfering with the concert like they did at the football game, just how petty can you get?"

"I'm pretty sure it was just Acnologia, and he was in the back," Precht corrected Yuri. This set them on another argument while Mavis frowned. Acnologia had been acting very odd since the evening they'd encountered each other at home, and Mavis did _not_ like it. She was used to sadistic Acnologia, not this silently insidious one.

By the time they had taken the stage, however, Mavis stopped caring about Acnologia and his whims. Her thoughts were focused on the music, like they always were.

Less than a week after the wildly successful concert that followed, the Winter Festival of Bands had arrived.

* * *

Mavis had only been to Tenrou Island a few times when her parents were alive, so stepping back on the island that was humid even in the middle of winter was a whole new experience. The entire band had taken a boat over from Hargeon Port, and they weren't the only ones. Another band from the local school in that area had joined them with some students making friends or forming rivalries. Since it had been an early morning to board the boat, however, a lot of students took naps on the journey over. Mavis was too thrilled to do that, which was all the more evident when they stepped off onto Tenrou Island.

"I can't believe it, Zera! We're actually here!" she squealed in the highest pitch she could reach.

"You look like a little kid, Mavis," Zera admonished her. She still imitated her by placing her bags down, adjusting her straw hat and taking a look around the island. Zeref came up on the other side of Mavis, slinging his trumpet case over his shoulder effortlessly. This action pulled Mavis' attention from the naturalistic setting and onto the various bands disembarking from the ports dotting the island's rim. All of them were moving towards a large, nearby building where the bands were to participate. Smiling widely, Mavis grabbed her stuff and led the band towards the competing students and spectators for the contest.

The building got more impressive the closer that Mavis approached it with its red brick and a beautiful garden surrounding it. Carved into a stone sign above the building were the words "Tenrou Music Hall". Mavis stopped to admire the building and those very words, giving August time to catch up and move ahead. Realizing that he had done so, Mavis recovered and set off after their teacher to the registration desk. Despite not being involved in the process, she still watched as August retrieved their itinerary for when they would participate, as well as their designated wing for the evening and the practice room key. It was all so elaborate, but made Mavis feel that they had really come a far way.

Other bands seemed to all be ignoring each other or rushing to their practice rooms before the performances could begin. Their band was probably one of the smallest from what Mavis could see, but she didn't mind. Matching their size, the band got a slightly smaller practice room where they had to split into two sides in order to change into concert clothes. After they were ready for the day's opening events, August tuned them and had them play the opening measures of one of their pieces.

"Magnolia High, you're up next," called an attendant around ten-thirty. The band became less talkative and more jittery with every step towards the stage. Even Mavis was starting to let her nerves get to her, particularly when she saw that over thirty bands were competing. Crossing over the threshold onto the stage (concealed behind a curtain), Mavis slapped her cheeks a little to drive away the bad feelings and focus only on the music.

"Now presenting the Magnolia High School Concert Band with their theme performance, Jazzy Pegasus, and their freestyle performance, In Bloom." A light smattering of muted applause followed the announcer's soft voice and the curtain drew back. The hot and blinding lights burst onto the stage. It was no different than when they performed at a concert, and yet, everything was different. From her peripheral, Mavis could see the panel of judges sitting there. They weren't there to intimidate, but for a brief moment, that was what Mavis felt.

All of that mattered little when August raised his conductor's baton. The whole band lifted their instruments and when the baton fell, they began. Since the theme was very evidently jazz, the piece they were playing predominantly featured trumpets and saxophones. In particular, Yuri and Precht were the main focus as soloists in the song while the flutes were relegated to a sort of background music. Mavis was fine with it, since it meant she could conserve herself for their next song. When "Jazzy Pegasus" finished, a majority of the crowd seemed mildly impressed. The judges gave no expression, clearly waiting on the second song. August didn't wait for approval to begin.

"In Bloom" was quite different from their last piece. For one, it was exponentially more tranquil, as though it would be played as a soundtrack to the birth, growth, and inevitable bloom of a flower. Hardly any harsh or conflicting sounds were heard in the piece, just a beautiful swelling near the end to represent the bloom, punctuated with a duet between the flute and clarinet soloists. August had admitted to her that the song was actually inspired by her and her previous efforts during the marching season. This was pleasantly unexpected news and helped Mavis in bringing the song to its perfect pianissimo conclusion.

Once again, the audience applauded politely and Mavis turned her head a fraction to see what the judges were thinking. As there were three of them, she expected a myriad of expressions on their faces. Instead, they looked like stone walls, making little notes. It was obvious that they wouldn't be finding out the results of their performance right then. Actually, they were told as much, saying that they would announce the ten bands moving on in the evening. August bowed at the statement as the curtains closed.

"Practice room at six tonight," August informed them. With each student being antsy about the result, it was obvious that they'd have no problem being in the practice room by six. For the moment, they all split into groups, some heading for the food court, some to watch the following performances. Not having an excess amount of money, Mavis and her friends took their packed lunches to the nature of Tenrou Island.

"You guys did a great job," Mavis said to Yuri, Precht and Rita.

"I don't even remember the last time we got to do solos like that," Yuri expressed as he drank from a soda. "I _did_ kill it out there."

"Yes, you most certainly did," snickered Warrod. Yuri glared at his best friend, forcing the taller boy to chuckle lightly and nervously. "I'm just kidding…"

"You better be, Warrod," Yuri said. Rita reached over and tenderly clasped Yuri's hand to calm him down.

"I think we did good, as well," Precht commented. "It's not up to us, though. The judges are the ones to decide whether we move on or not. And don't think for a second that the odds aren't against us here."

"Well," Zeref interjected quietly, "this band has a way of defying odds."

Beating the odds was exactly what they did.

After a hasty dinner later in the day, the band reconvened in their practice room before August led them to the auditorium where all the bands were waiting. The judges had finished convening and the lead judge stepped forward to read the results. The worst part was that he was reading them in alphabetical order. The bands that didn't manage to move on would be called out as a second, while any band in the top ten would be called out as a first. It was a long wait to get to the Ms, and the entire band was getting edgy.

"Magnolia High Concert Band," the judge finally called out, causing all the students to stand on their tiptoes, "First."

"We're moving on!" Zera hissed, trying not to be too loud. The rest of the band had no such reservations, cheering loudly over the judge's announcements. Other bands were throwing disgusted looks, but they couldn't understand. This was about more than this competition; it was about everything that led to it. Every laugh, every tear, every moment of despair and anger. Now, for the first time, the Magnolia High Band was being recognized and praised. It was a milestone in history.

The announcement made adrenaline course though all their bodies, making the band so revved up that they couldn't sleep. August put that to good use by having them practice late into the evening, polishing what needed to be polished, fixing whatever needed fixing. They only stopped when asked, and because some people (meaning Yuri) began to fall asleep on their instruments. Mavis, herself, had to work hard to suppress a yawn on her way back to the room with Zera, Rita and three other girls. She fell asleep, thinking about how much they had improved and that hopefully it would be enough to compete against the other, likely better, bands.

Tomorrow, Mavis thought, was going to change everything.

The next morning was less crowded since a large number of the bands had returned home via boat the night previous. Some had stuck around to watch the rest of the competition, but it was far quieter than the day prior. The theme performance for that day was "Under the Big Top". Mavis interpreted it as carnival music, mostly because that was what they were performing. Warrod was given an even greater chance to shine as a soloist for this point. Actually, the whole lower range got a lot of featuring in that particular instance. Naturally, they closed off with a rather improved version of "In Bloom" that brought the trumpets a little more into focus. Once again, the judges were not indicative of their reactions and the tension was ramped up as everyone waited for the final four to be announced.

This time, they didn't bother announcing all ten bands and their rankings. The judges skipped straight towards listing the four that would be participating in the final round. "Crocus Academy of the Fine Arts, Mildian Academy, Magnolia High Concert Band, and Nirvit High."

"Sweet!" Yuri exclaimed with a fist pump. Mavis gave a high five to Zera and a kiss to Zeref in their triumph. She really hadn't thought that they'd get this far. After lunch, the band immediately returned to practicing for the hour before the final part of the contest was to take place. Because the number of competing bands was now so small, the other competitors had to listen, and Mavis has to admit that there was some pretty stiff competition, especially from Mildian Academy. With the theme being "Fairy Tale", there were so many applications for their piece. August had taken a very different interpretation.

Their own piece, an elaborately titled "Are There Tales of Fairies?", was composed to be like the first part of "In Bloom". It fascinated Mavis, admittedly because fairies were in the title, and because of how it connected. By now, the audience and the judges were probably expecting a lot from them, and Mavis hoped their performance would deliver. It heaped the anticipation on when the flutes began the song with a light trilling. Very quickly, the song picked up into a light romp that equally shared the limelight with all sections of the band. As the tale became darker, the baritones, tubas and trombones took charge until the trumpets and drums signaled victory. The woodwinds picked up there, turning to peace after the battle was over and transitioning them into their freestyle piece, evident only by the rather brief pause and a turning of pages.

The audience reaction was a little louder this time, but Mavis guessed that was due to the larger crowds. The judges still weren't saying anything until the late afternoon, well after the performances had been completed. The anticipation of the upcoming results made the auditorium feel like a hive of chatter. Zeref tried to soothe her nerves by clasping her hand tightly but it did very little. The chattering only stopped when the head judge stepped up.

"In third place is Nirvit High," the judge said, enunciating his words. "Second place belongs to Crocus Academy of the Fine Arts, and our winner if the Tenrou Winter Festival of Bands is…Mildian Academy."

The entire band let out a sigh of disappointment. They hadn't placed, and even though Mavis could confess to being displeased with the result, she reminded herself that it was a miracle they had made it into the top four in the first place. Others in the band had realized this as well and that disappointed sigh soon turned into a happy acceptance. They weren't the only ones who acknowledged the band's success. In the midst of the awards ceremony that followed, the judges actually awarded an honorary mention trophy to the band for placing fourth on their very first competition ever. August looked over the moon and he expressed this on the trip back to the mainland.

"I think the band will continue to reach greater heights from here," he expressed, raising his trophy so the whole band could see it. "Great job, guys. I'll see you in the new semester!"

After those kind words of parting, the band students went their separate ways more or less, except for the third of the band that boarded (more like commandeered) the bus to Mildia for the party at Zeref's house. Much to her boyfriend's displeasure, Zeref's parents clasped both he and Mavis in a giant bear hug upon arrival.

"Top four! That's wonderful!" his foster mother exclaimed. "Well, everybody, there's plenty of food and drink, so knock yourselves out."

"Don't mind if I do!" Yuri said gratefully, dragging Rita off to the buffet table. That was probably as wild as the party would get. Admittedly, the party did get louder once it got in the swing of things. Some of the students plopped on the family couch to watch TV, while Zeref brought the board games down, starting more competitions than were probably healthy. Precht and Warrod were the first to get involved, playing a rather mean game of Trivial Pursuit with Zeref. Realizing her boyfriend was going to be more than occupied, Mavis just mingled around the party. She noticed Zera talking with a boy from their class, though she looked a little bored. The next person she caught sight of was Anna, who was fiddling with the stereo when she walked over.

"Hey, Mavis, it's been a while," the blonde said after finding a song she liked. "I hear you and my foster brother are dating."

"Something like that," Mavis confirmed with a light giggle.

"Well, it's nice to see him actually taking an interest in girls, especially one as cute as you," Anna told her with a wink. "I was starting to worry that he was asexual or something."

"Anna, your boyfriend's calling you," Zirconis called, poking his head out from the kitchen. Anna excused herself from Mavis and went to answer the phone.

Mavis smiled, watching her go. Other than Anna, it had been months since she'd last seen Zeref's foster family. That seemed a little amusing. She and Zeref had been dating for nigh on two months now, and she hadn't even been over to his house since the first weekend they had spent together planning their marching show. Mavis wondered if anything had changed in those months. She set her plate down and began to go upstairs. As she began ascending, Mavis could swear she saw Yuri and Rita disappear inside a linen closet. No guesses were needed as to exactly what they were doing. While the door to said closet closed, it rattled some pictures on the wall, causing one to fall off. Mavis shook her head and grabbed the fallen picture on her way up the stairs.

Her feet continued to carry her upwards to Zeref's room without looking at the picture. Leaving the door wide open, Mavis took a look inside Zeref's room. As expected, the room hadn't changed in the slightest. It was still properly organized with its neatly placed furniture. There was a little more personality on his desk than last time, since he had a picture of the both of them that Zera had randomly decided to take one day. Next to it was the same picture that Mavis had gotten a glimpse of the first time she was here. Wanting to look at it closer, Mavis put the picture in her hands on the edge of the desk and picked it up. Zeref and the boy in the picture, she presumed it was his brother Natsu, looked very happy. Smiling at it, she placed it back down, only to knock over another picture. A domino effect followed, toppling the other picture from the wall onto the floor.

Mavis shook her head over her clumsiness and bent down to pick up both pictures, getting a glimpse at both of them. She was halfway to righting herself when she stopped. Staring back at her from the wall picture were two very familiar sets of eyes: one was clearly Zeref, and the other…was Acnologia. A lump rose in Mavis' throat as she turned to the other picture of a much younger Zeref, who looked around ten years old, shaking an older man's hand; an older man, who, if one were to add some gray and a longer beard would be the spitting image of August. Mavis' hands were shaking on the photos as she finished righting herself. Her heart was thumping and she had to resist the urge to vomit as a single conclusion was formulated in her head.

"There you are," Zeref suddenly said exasperatedly from the entry to his room. Mavis didn't turn around to face him, her gaze still locked on the set of pictures. "You just disappeared for a moment. I brought you a drink."

"Thanks…" Mavis said quietly. She finally turned around and took the cup of soda from his hand. He then sipped lazily on his own until he must have seen the distressed look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Mavis swallowed and breathed deeply, placing her drink on Zeref's desk.

"I have a question," she said. He looked at her like he was permitting her to ask it. "I know it's stupid, and I'm probably overthinking things, but you said that you picked up music after your brother died, around the time you came to live with your family here, right?"

"That's right…" Zeref said hesitantly, as though he wasn't sure how to answer. It made the pit in Mavis' stomach grow all the larger.

"Then…why is there a picture of you and Acnologia at the troubled kids' home together…in a band?" At this point, Mavis thought thrust the wall picture at Zeref, the photo still visible to her own eyes. It may have been a couple or so years ago, and there may have been animosity in the photo between the two males, but they were both unmistakably holding instruments.

"I…I never said that I started when I came here," Zeref said calmly, but Mavis could hear that his tone was uneven. "And you knew that Acnologia was into mus-"

"Then what about this one?" Mavis asked harshly, her voice cracking just a little. "Zera's father used to work in Mildia, with kids like Acnologia. He also…he worked with August before he became a teacher. You can see the certifications in his office for all the work he did. And here…he's…he's handing you an award for musical performance. I would recognize it anywhere."

"Mavis, what are you trying to say?" Zeref asked sharply, his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"You're only about ten in this photo," Mavis said evenly. Her breaths were coming in shorter gasps, and she almost felt like she was going to pass out. "But…how can that be when you didn't start playing until you were thirteen? There's a logical explanation, right?"

Zeref continued staring at her silently. Outside the room, a song continued to thrum away, but it might as well have been her own heartbeat with how she was feeling. Finally, Zeref's head dipped a little. "Falling for you wasn't part of the plan."

"The _plan_?" Mavis asked. Her head was spinning and she could hear the photos dropping onto her bare feet, but she didn't even feel it. "What plan?"

"I was a musical prodigy at Mildian Academy," Zeref explained, as though it would make everything better. "That's where I met August years ago. When I returned to playing music, he recruited me to improve the program, but we kept it quiet."

"He wanted _you_ to improve the program?" Mavis questioned. The dizziness was becoming a numbness that pervaded her entire body. All of it was a lie: the moments they spent together, her attempts to make friends with him, their kiss. The realization gripped Mavis and made her sick to her stomach. "I was just your tool. You used me."

"That's not…" Zeref attempted to protest, but he stopped before he could finish. "Maybe at first, but definitely not now."

Mavis was hardly in a state to continue listening. She stumbled backwards into the desk, her hand brushing up against the cup that Zeref had gotten for her. He really was a chess master, right to the very end. The worst part was how all the signs were there and she just couldn't get them: Zeref's familiarity with August, his sudden transfer, and the way he didn't want her to see the photos on his desk. "How many other lies did you tell me?"

"I…" Zeref looked like he was trying to get his own emotions under control. "I didn't want to get close to anyone. I didn't want to hurt anyone, but you came and broke down those walls. That wasn't supposed to happen…I shouldn't have let it, but I did."

 _He likes to hurt the things he loves._ Acnologia's warning hit her in the stomach like a ton of bricks. Other memories came through with the flood that his warning let loose. Every moment they shared working on the show, playing badminton, their talk in the library, their kiss at the lake. _I only hurt people_ , he had said. _Stay away_ , he had said. She now realized that she should have listened.

"I…I feel so stupid," she choked out. The shock was so deep that she couldn't even wrangle a tear from her eyes. "I was just a convenience to you the whole time."

"Mavis…that's not…"

"I thought…I thought we were similar," her voice said, but she hardly felt like she was saying it. "I thought you…that we…I could have lo…" Her throat caught again and her final statement seemed so strangled to her own ears. "I'm so, so stupid."

"That's not true for a second, Mavis," Zeref assured her. At least, he attempted to, reaching for her shoulder at the same time. "You're not stupid. None of this is on you, it was mine-"

His words were silenced by Mavis throwing the cup of soda in his face, halting his advances. She couldn't be here anymore. She couldn't. Not with _him_. So, she squeezed past his own rigidly shocked frame while he slowly pivoted towards her. "Stay away…Just…"

"Mavis," he said sternly, but she wouldn't listen to him. He was nothing but a liar, and it was breaking her apart.

"Just stay away." That was it. She ran from the room and flew downstairs, grabbing a very confused Zera's arm and dragging her out of the house. Even after hours of nagging about what had happened, Mavis didn't tell her for days, nor did she hear from Zeref once. It was better that way.

When winter break ended and school returned, Zeref was nowhere to be found. When questioned about it, August said that he had transferred out once again. She never brought up her revelation to the band teacher. The worst part, however, was that she realized she had never listened to Zeref, and now she would probably never see him again.

And that alone broke Mavis' heart.

* * *

 **Author's Note: This is the end of part 1, NOT the end of the story. Is it depressing? Perhaps, but now you may get an idea of just what I was planning with this story from the very beginning. For the record, I did throw the clues in there if you were sharp enough to catch them (they're super subtle). That said, the end of part 1 can only mean one thing for this story: time skip! That's right. So, until we meet up with our crew again, please do Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	8. PART TWO: Chapter 8

**Because it wouldn't be Fairy tail without a seven year timeskip. Let's all enjoy Part Two and Chapter 8!**

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PART TWO

 _Seven Years Later…_

Chapter 8

"So, Miss Vermillion, I see you've completed a Bachelor's of Arts in Music Education," said the mustached man sitting across from her. He sniffled a little as he looked over the blonde's resume. "Could you describe a project that you undertook?"

"Well," Mavis said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her voluminous hair was currently tied into an elegant bun, but it didn't mean that her hair wouldn't occasionally bother her. "In my last year of education, I worked on a project to start a musical program in Shirotsume. The band there was relatively small, but by the end of the year, myself and a fellow student had drawn in over double the number of students."

"Mmm…" the man said, taking a sip of the water on the table. Mavis swallowed thickly. "And why do you wish to work at the Sylph Labyrinth Academy?"

"You have a growing marching and orchestral program," Mavis chirped, keeping a smile on her face as she answered. "I think my skillset would make me a good fit for such an expanding…program…" Her heart fell at the look on the interviewer's face. Not that it was any surprise; it was always around this question that job interviews went south. It wasn't like she wasn't qualified, either. Usually, the reason was…

"Well, I'm sorry, Miss Vermillion, but I just don't think you'd be a good fit for Sylph Labyrinth," the man finally responded. Mavis prevented her head from drooping, having predicted the all too familiar response.

"May I ask why?" she queried, her lips transforming into a thin line.

"You may," he replied stuffily. It clearly took him a moment to realize she already _was_ asking him. "Right…mmm…I don't believe your views would benefit Sylph Labyrinth and its students."

"My views?" Mavis asked, trying to rein in her incredulous tone. Across from her, the man shuffled the papers together and stood. She stood with him. "What do you mean by that?"

"Miss Vermillion, I saw from your graduation thesis that you seem to have a certain idea about how a band program should work. Those views are just too…different. They won't work for us. I wish you luck in your continued job search." Mavis couldn't even cry out for him to stop before he had blown out the door. A pout worked its way on to Mavis' face and she huffed irritably. In that same state of irritation, Mavis snatched her briefcase up and made her way back out of the empty halls of Sylph Labyrinth Academy, all the way to the bus stop.

When the bus got there, she sat in the far back with her briefcase on her lap. The frown still on her face, Mavis threw her head back in exasperation. A year…she'd been out of college a whole year and she had yet to get a job. It wasn't for lack of trying, either. She must have had at least twenty interviews and not a single one of them had panned out. She hadn't gotten a single job offer, and it was always for the same reason: her views were considered too "radical", whatever that meant. So, she wanted to create a unique program that could take first place in any competition and have fun while they were at it? Was that any reason to just completely dismiss it?

Apparently, it was, Mavis realized as she made the walk from Magnolia's bus stop back home. Holding her briefcase in front of her, Mavis proceeded to walk through the center of Magnolia, sparing only brief glances to the store fronts she was passing by. Most of it had remained remarkably unchanged, or maybe that was just Mavis' perception as she'd never left the growing city, even for college.

A glint of white reflected in Mavis' vision and she caught sight of a three-tiered wedding cake in the bakery's window. Mavis sighed, remembering how busy this weekend was going to be. Here she was, worried about getting a job when two of her best friends in the entire world were getting married this weekend. Better yet, she was Maid of Honor! It was exciting for Mavis, who'd never been remotely close to anything resembling a wedding. In fact, Mavis Vermillion hadn't dated in over seven years. Not since…him. She'd been far too busy preparing for college and obtaining her degree. Not that it had done much good.

Of course, she'd gotten offers. Mavis was, after all, a very pretty woman. Seven years since she'd left the dating scene had done her good, giving her the womanly curves she'd always desired as a teen. Sure, she was still much flatter than her best friend in the chest area, but on the flipside, she didn't have to deal with back pain. Her looks, combined with her generally effervescent and bubbly personality endeared her to any number of the opposite sex. Some were nice, and some were nasty, but Mavis tended to ignore all of them. Sometimes (here meaning rarely) she would go out for coffee with one of them. It was usually a nice time, but there was a spark missing…a challenge. So, those little coffee dates never went anywhere.

Finally, Mavis' feet had carried her to her inevitable destination and she pushed the door in with a jingling of the bell.

"That you, Mavis?" asked a voice from the back of the store. "Give me a hand back here. We just got a new shipment of CDs in, and I want them inventoried before the afternoon rush."

"Be right there, Zera!" Mavis called out with fake cheeriness. She placed her briefcase over the counter and walked over to the backroom. The first thing she saw was Zera bending over a stack of boxes, her shirt riding up slightly. Mavis rolled her sleeves up and Zera turned, the box cutter being brandished in her hand. The blonde took a step back and looked at her twenty-three-year-old best friend with wide eyes. She looked formidably striking, and yet feminine, but that had always been the way that Zera looked. Other than growing taller, Zera had remained unchanged over the years.

"How'd it go?" she asked, wiping sweat from her brow. Mavis frowned once more, conveying the answer to the brunette. "The same, huh? Oh, well, you'll find a job eventually. At least I'm paying you part time!"

"Not much consolation, Zera," Mavis told her. At this, Zera held the box cutter at her again while wearing a rather venomous glare.

"No talking back to the boss, Vermillion! Now, let's take care of these CDs, or I may have to fire you."

"Yes, ma'am!" Mavis giggled out. Zera joined her in her giggles as the two set about unpacking the CDs and logging them in. It was relaxing work that took Mavis away from her failed interview and on to other things. Namely, she began to think about how the Red Lizard Music Shop had become incredibly popular since Zera had taken it over with her fancy business degree. Not that she'd had a choice; Jezelf had died from a sudden heart attack after sophomore year in college. Zera was, naturally, distraught but Mavis would always take time to help out at the shop for free when she didn't have classes. The others would do the same. It had been a tough time for Zera, but her father's death helped her decide on a major which brought her to present day where the Red Lizard Music Shop was known as the premiere music shop in this corner of Fiore.

At the very least, it was good work. When she wasn't interviewing, Mavis would help at the register or help inventory the vast number of shipments that seemed to come in daily. More than once, Zera had thought about hiring some extra hands to run the shop, but more often than not, the two young women were enough. It helped that they were pretty and drew a number of males in, unexpectedly. Regardless, Mavis felt satisfaction in doing the work, and by the time they'd finished the boxes, it was time for Mavis' favorite part of the day: the afternoon rush.

"Hi, Miss Vermillion, Zera," cried a ginger-haired freshman that headed straight for the sheet music area.

"Hey, Miko, how are you?" Mavis said, leaning a little on the cash register while Zera wiped the counters down.

"I'm great. Just aced my algebra final, and that's the hard one," Miko replied. Mavis beamed fondly at the younger girl. She had an abundance of energy that matched Mavis' own, and was always willing to strike up a conversation with the two. It helped that she was in the Magnolia High Band Program, and showed no signs of disliking it. That always made Mavis happy, as it meant August was doing a good job. "So, I want this, and I need some new reeds."

"You already broke every single one in your last pack? !" Zera snapped incredulously. "Not that I mind, Miko. You're like a cash cow to this store."

The bell jingled overhead and some more teenagers, fresh off from finals, entered the store, greeting both Miko and the two proprietors. Mavis turned back to the ginger with another smile. "How's your mom?"

"Busy baking, as usual. I was about to head home to help out, but I needed this stuff for practicing."

"It'll come to 4,000 Jewel," Zera said, knowing the prices without even looking. Miko paid in full, offered them a wave, and left them to deal with the new mob of students rushing in. Those hours felt fulfilling until they both closed up shop and returned home with some takeout from the restaurant across the street. The second she was in, Mavis dumped her briefcase on her bed and changed into more comfortable clothing.

The phone started ringing in the kitchen, and since Zera appeared to be taking a shower, Mavis heaved herself off to answer the phone. "Hello, this is Mavis Vermillion, who am I speaking with?"

"Ah, Miss Vermillion, I'm glad I was able to catch you," called a cool voice over the phone. It sounded female, but Mavis wasn't entirely sure. "Yes, I'm from Tartaros Academy in southern Fiore, and we recently received your resume. Our new music director would like to have an interview with you next week if that's possible."

"Certainly," Mavis replied cheerfully. Her luck hadn't run out yet. Their time negotiation then proceeded smoothly and Mavis had her interview set for Wednesday morning. Feeling positively giddy, Mavis finished setting the table and was ready by the time Zera emerged from the shower for dinner. The next week was starting to look up…and the weekend would be even better.

All too quickly, that Saturday arrived and Mavis found herself at Kardia Cathedral, dressed in a lovely lilac gown, right next to Zera (who looked positively uncomfortable in the getup). The most beautiful in the room, however, was Rita, adorned in her mother's old wedding dress. A few adjustments had been made by the town's seamstress, but that was mostly so the dress would fit Rita's different proportions. Every time Mavis looked at her, the younger blonde couldn't help but smile.

"Sounds like a lot of people out there," Zera commented moments before the ceremony while adjusting the dress on her chest.

"Are you surprised? Almost our entire old band class is coming," Mavis said. Rita nodded a little, and Mavis walked over to her. "Are you nervous?"

"A little," Rita admitted, placing a hand lightly on her stomach. "It just feels a little unreal…Yuri and I have been together since high school, and now we're getting married."

"You're not getting cold feet, are you?" Zera asked teasingly. Rita tossed her an incredulous look at the same time that Mavis did. Zera gave off a nervous chuckle, obviously getting the message. Yuri and Rita were ridiculously in love, and Mavis was sure that nothing would ever tear them apart. She would have admonished her friend with such words, but that was the moment that Rita's mother poked her head in.

"Are we all ready?" she asked quietly. Rita stood as a response to her mother. The oldest female looked fondly at her daughter, some tears in her eyes, and Mavis thought it was a very beautiful scene.

Moments later, the girls were out of the room and on their way to Rita getting married. If Mavis were honest with herself (and she usually was), she only remembered the whole ceremony in disjointed fragments. She remembered walking down the aisle with Warrod, who was Best Man. She remembered the vows, long though they may have been. Most importantly, she remembered Yuri giving Rita an exuberant kiss and being announced as Yuri and Rita Dreyar.

After that, they were all off to the reception for food and dancing. Sure, there were speeches to give, but Mavis' had been rather short.

"I've known Rita, and Yuri, for almost half of my life," she said to the listening crowd. "And, to be truthful, I have never known a more committed and encouraging couple as the two of them. I know it sounds corny and cliché, but I really do think they were made for each other. I…I really don't know what else to say other than wishing them all the lifelong happiness in the world, and hoping I can be there to witness it. To Yuri and Rita."

Her small speech was met with applause from everyone there, and soon after, the newlyweds took to the dance floor. Mavis joined everyone else shortly after, dancing with a myriad of old classmates. The most awkward was dancing with Warrod, as he was two heads too tall for her. Although, it had nothing on the sight of Zera dancing awkwardly with Precht.

"They have got to be the most mismatched pair of all time," Warrod chuckled out enthusiastically. "I swear, if he keeps glaring any more, his face will be stuck in that expression."

"Hasn't he always looked like that, though?" Mavis giggled out as she and Warrod spun themselves off the dance floor. They quickly took a seat on a pair of conveniently empty chairs. "What about you, Warrod? Are you ever getting married?"

"Probably not," Warrod confessed, tipping back a glass of champagne. "It's the bachelor's life for me! Though I'm only joking. I wouldn't say no to marriage if it came my way. The better question is, what about you? Zera says that you haven't been on a date in months."

"I've been busy…and no one's really caught my eye," Mavis answered absentmindedly, watching as Precht began to dance with Rita and Zera with Yuri. She continued to feel Warrod's intense stare on her skin and turned to speak to him. "And just who is Zera to judge? She hasn't gone on a date since I caught her necking with her last boyfriend in a closet two years ago."

"That sounds like an excuse," Warrod countered. He clearly wasn't joking, and it made Mavis uncomfortable. "Can we be honest with each other here, Mavis?"

"I am being honest," Mavis snapped defensively, her cheeks reddening just a little. Warrod appeared unmoved by the angry display. "Warrod, I have a lot to focus on other than getting married. I'm not Yuri and Rita. I need to find a job, and I have goals to reach, and-"

"And you're hung up on him," Warrod concluded. It wasn't what she was about to say, but it was an accurate evaluation.

She hated it. Seven years had been a long time, and back then she would have said it was going to be easy to forget about him. However, despite throwing herself into her lifelong pursuits, forgetting him wasn't as simple as she thought. It was extremely difficult. Maybe it was because he stimulated her mind in a way that no one had done before or since, and that fact frustrated her. She couldn't say as much to Warrod.

"So what if I am?" she said quietly, so that even he looked to strain his ears to catch it. "It doesn't matter. He left."

"Well, you did tell him to leave you alone," Warrod pointed out. Mavis' cheeks puffed out in a pout. Warrod responded with a chuckle and he gave a small, comforting rub to her shoulder. "I know that's not what you meant. Sorry for bringing it up. You know…weddings and all."

"I guess the mood _is_ pretty infectious," Mavis returned with a smile.

"We just want the little fairy leader of our troupe to be happy," Warrod said with another laugh. At that one, Mavis swatted at him in mock indignation. She was _not_ little, anymore. "So, did you hear the news about August?"

"How could I have? You're the one working at Magnolia High, Mr. Plant Sciences," the blonde reminded him.

"Right, well…" Warrod said with a clearing of his throat as he adjusted his bowtie. "Turns out he's retiring, or has retired, I guess. Apparently he had some accident or illness earlier in the year and now he's retiring to Alakitasia for his health."

"What's going to happen to the band program?"

"No idea yet, but the principal definitely wants to find a replacement," Warrod answered. Mavis would have asked her friend more about just what had happened, but Precht was waving him over and the two men departed for the bar. Zera joined her seconds later, with a look of disgruntled exasperation.

"Ugh…Yuri is too damn happy, and my feet hurt me," she complained, stretching her legs. Mavis had no such complaint, considering that she'd abandoned her shoes right after the ceremony. "What were you and Warrod talking about?"

"Nothing concerning you, nosy," Mavis told her with a light shove. Zera shoved back, and before too long, they pushed a little too hard and fell to the ground in a giggling heap where they were found by the newlyweds.

"When you two are done acting like teenagers, me and Rita, my awesome wife, wanted to talk to you and the others," Yuri said with a brilliant smile. Mavis was the first to get up, brushing her dress off lightly. Having delivered their message, Yuri and Rita turned and headed for the bar. Mavis helped Zera up and the two went off to join the quartet at the bar. No one else, even the bartender, was around as they were all still celebrating on the dance floor.

"So, Rita and I wanted to thank you guys for being here today. It means a lot to us," Yuri said, his usual demeanor having melted away to reveal someone more refined and matured.

"Like we'd miss the big day," Precht said with a roll of his eyes.

"Like we'd miss a chance for an open bar," Warrod said, taking a drink. "I'm just kidding."

"Right…well…we wanted to say something else," Yuri said. He gripped his wife's hand and squeezed it in response before putting a hand on her stomach with a smile.

"I'm pregnant," she told them all. Mavis was the first to react, clapping her hands together joyfully.

"That's wonderful! How far along are you?" she squealed out. Next to her, Zera appeared dumbfounded.

"First trimester, so we wanted to get married before it really started to show," Rita answered softly. Zera still hadn't recovered whatsoever. "I'm pretty excited, if a little scared."

"Oh, crap…" Precht moaned out. He and Warrod turned conspiratorially to the bar counter. "Yuri's progeny is actually entering the world. I always thought it was just a far-off possibility, but now…"

"No need to think the world is over," Warrod consoled him with tremors in his own voice. "Remember that the kid will still have part of Rita. We can only hope it's her personality that becomes dominant."

"I can hear you, assholes!" Yuri remarked, smacking them both on their heads. Mavis and Rita both laughed at Yuri's reaction. Of course, the two of them were joking, but it didn't stop the three males from almost turning the wedding into a brawl. Zera recovered in this time, stepping forward and taking Rita's hands.

"Congratulations!" she cooed, as if amazed. "Do you know what it is? Have you chosen any names?"

"No, we don't know yet," Rita answered gaily. "Although we did decide on Makarov if it's a boy, and if it's a girl…we agreed on Mavis."

"Me? Why would you do that?" Mavis asked in utter surprise. Rita leaned forward to put a hand on Mavis' shoulder.

"Because you'll be their godmother, of course. We wouldn't have it any other way." That was the best news that Mavis had received all week. She was so happy that her smile never faltered once as the reception moved towards cake. Sure, dancing resumed and each of the friends had a joyous time goofing around or speaking with both sets of parents. It wasn't until late, almost past midnight, that the party finally broke up. Yuri and Rita had departed hours before, leaving everyone to their own devices. After Precht had gotten so drunk that he was actually starting to hit on whatever women were left (which never happened when he was sober), Warrod decided to take him home. Mavis and Zera departed shortly after that, returning home with cramped feet but wide smiles.

"I can't believe Yuri and Rita are having a kid…" Zera breathed out after collapsing on the couch. Mavis hummed in content at her expression. Neither girl wanted to move from where they were. "Hope I get to meet someone soon…"

"You're a catch, Zera," Mavis mumbled sleepily, nuzzling into the armchair she was on. "Any guy would be lucky to have you. I'm just happy I get to be a godmother." Zera had no comment for it other than some loud snoring. Mavis agreed with that response and fell asleep right away. When she woke up, she found the chair stained with tears, but she had no idea how it had gotten that way.

* * *

Mavis spent the entire first half of the week preparing for her interview at Tartaros Academy. The southern-based academy certainly hadn't been her first choice of a school to work at, but given her draught of interviews and job offers, she was willing to at least give it a whirl. So it went that Mavis said farewell to Zera on Tuesday evening and began the long drive south. Truthfully, it wasn't that long of a drive, but it still took her until around midnight to reach the place and book in to a local motel. Said motel was not conducive to preparing for an interview, given that the walls shook from whatever was going on in the room next door. Mavis took it all comfortably in stride and kept herself sharp and looking refreshed as she entered the gateway to Tartaros Academy.

A frown passed over her lips as she passed under the vine covered arch that was the entrance to the academy. That expression lasted only a moment before she remembered that she had to always affix smiles to her face. Still, Tartaros Academy didn't exactly look inviting with overgrown weeds and vines covering the brick. It was also practically empty, but when Mavis realized that school was evidently out, this fact no longer bothered her. Feeling slightly more encouraged, Mavis made her way into the school with a smile. She barely got a good glimpse of the gothic interior when she heard her name being called.

"Miss Vermillion, I presume," the woman approaching her said. Judging from the voice, it sounded like the woman she'd heard over the phone. Mavis held a hand out, which the woman shook professionally. "Glad you could make it. This way."

She was very curt, Mavis noted, but she followed the black haired secretary down the halls. They were dimly lit, but Mavis wouldn't let that upset her sunny attitude. Not even the glaring monstrous faces or the skull artwork was going to dampen her spirits. The secretary stopped outside a rather elaborate looking set of double doors that looked as if they'd been there since the formation of Fiore, or maybe even ancient times. She motioned to the door and Mavis understood the instruction, putting a hand on one side of the doors and opening it. A clip clopping of heels told her that the secretary had gone away. Mavis just continued pushing and began to enter when she noticed a nameplate on the door.

Her face paled a little upon reading it, and Mavis swore she could feel a drop of sweat running down the back of her neck. Tearing her eyes away from the plate, she turned towards the occupant of the brighter room. _Please, no. Please, no. Not him…Not him…_ In those few seconds, her mind kept pleading those words over and over in her head until she finally saw the director of Tartaros' music program. That last little hope shattered and Mavis was forced to hold herself professionally as she walked over and held her hand out towards Director Zeref Dragneel.

"Mavis, there's no need for formalities between us," he said. Mavis swallowed; he sounded exactly the same as he had seven years ago. He almost looked the same, too. Zeref Dragneel was just older now, and perhaps not as thin as he'd been in high school. No, seven years had been _very_ kind to Zeref. "You're looking well."

"So, I'm very excited about the possibilities this position offers," Mavis said, keeping her voice as even as she possibly could. It didn't matter that she was shaken by his appearance; didn't matter if he was acting like seven years hadn't passed since they'd last seen each other. Most of all, it didn't matter that Zeref wasn't acting like he'd broken her heart. The interview was the most important thing. Zeref appeared to pick up on this because he smiled sadly and reached over to shake her hand. That caused Mavis to swallow again, feeling his hand in hers again. She was grateful when they separated and took their seats.

"I had the chance to look over your credentials," Zeref said, now all business. It made dealing with him a little easier. "Top of your class and program; played a vital role in the revitalization of Shirotsume's music program. Of course, I know about the other credentials you chose to not list on your resume. It's a wonder you haven't been snatched up by another school yet."

"Apparently, I wasn't a right fit for them," Mavis answered truthfully. Already, this interview was going differently than every other one. She wasn't sure of that was because she was a good candidate or because of her past history with the man. Zeref appeared to frown a little, looking over the papers again, like he was trying to find a certain detail. He seemed to find it rather quickly, because he leaned back shortly, and folded his hands.

"I notice that your graduating thesis had some rather radical ideas," Zeref commented. Mavis reined in a sigh; even Zeref, of all people, felt that her ideas were radical. She was pretty sure she'd never find a job at this rate. "That's not a problem for me."

"What?" Mavis blurted out, temporarily forgetting that she was in the middle of an interview. Zeref held no expression, which was so like him. It was a comfort to know that even after seven years, his mannerisms hadn't changed. That simple fact made her feel like she had the upper hand, even if her insides were churning like butter.

"I was hired on as director of a rather burgeoning music program here," Zeref explained. "Since then, in the last year, myself and the Academy have won numerous competitions and contests, even thanks to some of my more unconventional idea. You and I would be a good fit."

"I'm sure…" Mavis drawled. She could barely hold in her disdain for his last comment. Seven years ago, she would have agreed in a heartbeat…but nursing that same amount of heartbreak without a word made her disagree.

"Tartaros Academy is very competitive," Zeref continued. "We like to take first place in anything we compete in, and we thrive on snap decisions and the fast-paced environment that comes with it. Quite honestly, your mind and reflexes have to be sharp in order to be a part of our musical program. Not that I have any doubt about your ability to keep up, but it's something we like to inform all our candidates of. To be truthful, the ideas laid out in your thesis are what intrigue me the most and makes me think you could bring the Academy to greater heights. Any questions?"

Mavis had _many_ questions; more than they probably had time for. Why had Zeref lied? Why hadn't he contacted her? Why did he break her heart? All of these and more were questions that were burning inside of her, but with a smile on her face, she decided to stick with questions that only pertained to the job. If she scrutinized Zeref's face as she rattled off her list of job related questions (work day? Salary?), she could have sworn she saw something akin to disappointment. Mavis wasn't disappointed in herself, however. Even if she wanted the answers to those other questions, she also didn't want to ask. Seeing Zeref again reminded her of how horrible that night had made her feel. When her questions finished, Zeref looked over his papers once more, though he hadn't made a single note.

"Honestly," he said, once he'd brought his papers into a uniform pile, "I'm inclined to offer you the job here and now, if you're willing to take it. I'm certain myself, the Academy, and its students would welcome you come the start of school in the fall. And since the principal leaves program decisions to myself, I have no qualms in offering it right now."

Mavis could do nothing but blink at the job offer. How long had she been waiting for this? Months and months of being refused a job for her quirky ideas and general nonconformity, and now it was all being blown away by the one man she never expected it from. She had wanted all of this for too long…and yet, she was afraid of it. No, fear wasn't the right emotion. She didn't know what the right emotion _was_ , but she knew what her decision was.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline," she said, standing and offering Zeref her hand. It was just like any other professional, which must have been the reason that Zeref blinked so rapidly. After a minute of holding her gaze and not taking her hand, Zeref sighed.

"Is there anything I can say or offer to change your mind?" he asked. As he did so, Zeref stood, but still didn't take her hand. Mavis simply shook her head but kept a smile on her face. Finally, Zeref shook her hand, a slight frown etched on his lips. "Can I ask why?"

"You know why," she answered. Mavis was surprised at how even she kept her voice in that instant. Zeref took his hand back now, and the blonde could see his body sag a little. "We have a romantic history together, and I'm afraid that it would not be conducive to a good working environment."

"History, huh?" Zeref breathed quietly, though Mavis still caught it. He sounded sad, but Mavis ignored that. Zeref rose his voice again to address her. "That's unfortunate. It would have been a real asset to have you on the team, regardless of our past together."

"It's just not the right fit for _me_ ," Mavis replied honestly. She did omit the fact that she didn't trust him, but he seemed to get the message loud and clear. Turning towards the door, Mavis quickly said, "I wish you the best of luck in your candidate search."

That was the best she could offer in that moment, and she pushed the door open. "It was good to see you again."

"I…" Mavis wasn't sure how to respond. Mostly, she wasn't exactly sure which words to use in order to put her feelings out in that moment. So, she decided to take the easy way out. "I'm not so sure it was."

"Maybe we can catch up, Mavis," Zeref said, like he was ignoring her last statement. "I could buy you a coffee."

"I don't think I'll have the time. Goodbye, Zeref," Mavis snapped, and she blew out the door. When she finally reached her car and was driving off, she realized it was the first time she'd actually spoken his name in years. Yet, it hadn't sounded foreign on her tongue. It still sounded so natural, and she couldn't deny that her voice had been filled with a slight bit of longing. The realization made her pout a little. Seven years of moving on…of studying and single date flings with other boys, and all he had to do was be in the same room as her to make her forget about them. When he was there, she felt like the same girl that had fallen for his dark eyes and broody manner. It was such a frustrating contradiction! She had wanted to see him, to talk with him, and listen to him…yet now that he was here, she wanted none of that. Then there was his stupid offer for coffee. "Ugh…I hate myself…"

"What do you hate about yourself, exactly?" drawled Zera over a bowl of cereal. Mavis hardly realized that by the time she said this, she was back home…or that Zera was eating cereal for lunch. The blonde rolled over on the couch and stared up at her brunette friend. It took a moment of internal debate before she spoke again.

"I had that Tartaros interview today," Mavis said. Zera instantly got a sympathetic look on her face and brushed the newspaper on the nearby chair to the floor so she could sit on it and converse. "I got the job…but I turned it down."

"That seems stupid," Zera commented, ladling a spoon of cereal into her mouth. "You must have had a good reason."

" _He_ was the director," Mavis replied. Zera tilted her head, chewing her cereal slowly. Clearly, she hadn't understood, so Mavis decided to be more direct. "I would have been working with Zeref."

"The fuck? !" Zera spat out, her cereal and milk traveling with it onto the floor. Even her bowl was about to tip over, and Mavis barely managed to right it. "He's still around? ! You saw him again? ! Details, Mavis! Details!"

"Not much to say. I kept it as professional as I could," Mavis admitted. Zera wiped her scowling mouth with her sleeve, standing at the same time. "He…he looks well."

"Oh…" Zera said. She reached over and clasped Mavis' hand kindly. "You're upset that he's moved on?"

"I honestly don't care," Mavis told her, "but I wasn't going to live every day right next to him."

"You could've finally gotten some explanations," Zera suggested. Mavis had already thought of that, but she also realized that sometimes explanations hurt more than they helped. She wasn't about to dive back into the world that was Zeref Dragneel, not after she'd spent seven years trying to get over him. Last time, she'd gotten away with a cut…she really didn't want any worse. Distance was better, and Zera appeared to realize this. "I'll plan meatloaf and potatoes for dinner then. Goodness knows you'll need the energy."

"Thanks…" Mavis groaned, flopping back around on the couch so she was looking at the floor. Today was too long. Wanting to give her mind something to do, Mavis started counting all the fibers in the carpet. She stopped upon sight of the newspaper on the ground. Lifting her body up a little, Mavis' hand lashed out and dragged the paper over to her. It was the front page of the _Magnolia Times_ , and it appeared a rather large story was breaking, judging from how big the letters were.

Then, Mavis realized what those letters were saying.

AUGUST TO RETIRE. PRINCIPAL SCRAMBLES FOR REPLACEMENT.

A light bulb went on in Mavis' head. Warrod had spoken about this, and yet, she hadn't connected the dots until now. In fact, Mavis wasn't even sure why she hadn't even considered this option before now. All lethargy suddenly gone, Mavis sprung upward, the paper traveling with her so she could read the article in depth. It was mostly pointless drivel about August's achievements in volunteer work and his involvement in bringing the band program out of the hole it had been in. Of course, the article also went into detail about how August's health had been declining, leading to a decline in the program. However, Mavis' eyes focused more on one of the last lines of the article: walk-in interviews were accepted.

"Mavis, you want turkey or bee…what are you doing?" Having read that last line, and already being dressed for an interview, Mavis was quickly grabbing her things. Zera was watching her, but she didn't have the time to respond. Eventually, she just tossed her arms up in the air, exclaiming, "You know what? I don't even want to know!"

"I'll be back before dinner!" Mavis called out as she burst out of the front door. Every single thought of Zeref was gone, focused only on this moment and what she felt needed to be done. Beating the still all too familiar path to Magnolia High, which was empty for the summer, Mavis was flushed with adrenaline when she entered the front office. The secretary there looked up in surprise.

"M-Miss Vermillion?" she gasped out in surprise. Mavis could imagine why, though; she hadn't stepped foot in the school since graduation. "What are you…?"

"I'd like to apply for the job," Mavis said breathlessly, taking her resume out and handing it to the secretary. The woman blinked and then pushed her chair away with the speed unexpected of someone who sat in it all day. She instantly dashed off to the nearby principal's office. Mavis took the chance to catch her breath and look around. Little had changed, other than a few names…like the fact that Acnologia was Vice Principal, now. The fact made Mavis grimace, but she knew she'd be happy to swallow it as long as it meant having her dream job.

After many tense minutes, the principal came flying out of his office with wild eyes. Mavis affixed a smile to her lips and held her hand out. The principal shook it with a vice-like grip that screamed desperation. "When can you start?"

"What…?" Mavis gasped out. "What about an interview?"

"Miss Vermillion," the principal said kindly, "do you have any idea how much you improved this school as a student? I only needed to look at your credentials to know what you could do as a teacher. It's very good to see you back at Magnolia High."

"It's good to be back, but…" Mavis said, struggling to wrap her mind around how quickly this was going, "you're not turned off by my ideas or…or…"

"Miss Vermillion. Mavis…" the principal breathed out. "Your ideas changed this school for the better, especially the band program. I am sure your ideas would only continue to better the school. I'm willing to negotiate pay, benefits, any accommodations you would need. I just need to know if you'll accept the position as the director of Magnolia High's Band Program."

The principal was certainly forward, and it was all so sudden, but Mavis had known her answer before even walking into the school. She answered as such. "I will."

* * *

 **Author's Note: And now we're on part two, which is seven years later. This offers me a chance to deliver things in a different setting, or at least on different terms than before. Within the next chapter or two you'll start to see just what Part 2 is all about. And obviously, in real life, getting a job is not that easy…I would know. I hope you enjoyed, and if you did, please be sure to Review and, as always, Dare to Be Silly.**


	9. Chapter 9

**I realize now that part of this chapter contains a location that is in every single one of these "Musical" stories…and I don't mean Crocus Fields. Points to you if you can guess what that location is/will be. But for now, please read Chapter 9 with me!**

* * *

Chapter 9

Glasses clinked and a cheer rose up in the local tavern that night. As Precht ordered another round of drinks on him, Warrod knuckled Mavis' head. "Look at you, Mavis! Director of Music, and at only, what, twenty-three?"

"Yeah, she's real great," Zera sniggered out, clearly a little tipsy. "Now I _have_ to hire somebody to help with the shop."

"I can still help!" Mavis protested. Zera swatted her off, reaching for yet another drink. "I will be busy, though. With summer starting, I have a lot to figure out and plan. The principal's giving me a lot of leeway, and I don't want to let him down."

"Hey, if you need any help, you know we're there for you," Precht assured her, funneling a slice of pizza into his mouth. "I'm still in the middle of my doctorate, so I'll do what I can with the time that I have."

"Me, too," Warrod proclaimed after downing his pint. "I've looked through the school bylaws and absolutely nothing says that other teachers can't help out one of the school's programs. You say the word, I'm there."

"Yeah! Go team!" Zera yelled, waving her mug around. Mavis scooted to the side so she wouldn't be plastered with beer. "Beat Zeref, your dick of an ex-boyfriend!"

"Zera!" Mavis hissed, but the damage had already been done. Both Warrod and Precht were staring at her with inquiring eyebrows raised. "I…may have run into him, and…he may or may not be the director of music at Tartaros Academy."

"Oh. Is that all?" Precht asked. "Hey, if you want to start seeing him again-"

"I do not!" Mavis protested loudly. "Zera's right. I'm going to beat him and his whole academy."

"Yeah?" Warrod questioned, banging his mug on the table. "How do you plan on doing that?"

Mavis didn't have an answer, though she did have some ideas floating around in her head. Warrod didn't care either way, and when Zera passed out face-first in a bowl of chips, Mavis knew it was time to take her home. For being such a petite girl, Zera was a little heavy, not helped by Mavis' own slim stature. It also didn't help that Zera was muttering, "go team" and "musiguil" or whatever randomness it sounded like. Mavis was still able to get the brunette into bed with an aspirin and glass of water at the side. Shaking her head in amusement, Mavis returned to her room with a yawn.

She was just on the threshold of her room when remembering Zera's gibberish gave her pause. For some reason that even she couldn't fathom, the words came to her lips. "Musiguil…music…musical…guild…A musical guild!"

Almost squealing with excitement, Mavis finished entering her room, locking the door behind her. Instead of heading for her bed, Mavis sat right at her desk and dragged as much paper over to her as she could. The idea just kept flowing, mixed in with diagrams and compositions. Her hands danced furiously across the pages as they wrote, scratched out and wrote again. She was well and truly burning the midnight oil, and only stopping when she heard Zera retching in the bathroom. That was a wake-up call that told her it was morning, yet she wasn't tired in the slightest.

A knock came at her door, followed by a groan. "Mavis…help…"

The sound jolted Mavis and she finally placed her pencil down for the first time since she'd picked it up. She pushed her chair out and opened the door only for Zera to fall into her arms. "Hangovers are rough, huh?"

"Never again…nope…How did you get up at such an ungodly hour?" Zera's question seemed to finally activate the exhaustion within her and she yawned loudly. Pushing herself away, Zera seemed to peek in on her desk. "What is with the stack? That wasn't there last night…"

"I've been working all night," Mavis admitted with another yawn. Zera shook her head like she couldn't believe in her stamina. Lighting up with a thought, Mavis latched onto Zera's arm and dragged her inside, putting her on the unruffled bed. She briefly returned to her desk to grab some sheets and then joined her best friend. "Take a look."

"A…musical guild?" Zera asked with blinking eyes, almost like she didn't think she was seeing clearly. "What's that?"

"After I got the job, I was given a list of about seventy students in the band program," Mavis started. Zera rubbed her eyes and then turned to Mavis in order to listen raptly. "So, I've always wanted to create a program where people work together, but they won't improve unless they're pushed, like us."

"That's because you made a dumb-"

"It got me thinking about the best way to do that," Mavis continued, cutting her off. "A musical guild. I'll split the students into six groups, guilds I'll call them, and that guild will be their friends and family, one of each instrument. They'll practice together, and they'll compete against the other guilds in friendly competition. Sounds fun, doesn't it?"

"Mavis, you can't force people to get into groups, you know?" Zera pointed out with amusement. To this, Mavis grinned and pulled out a flyer that she shoved into Zera's hands. "Music Camp?"

"Band Camp makes everyone have negative connotations, so I'm changing the name," Mavis explained. "The principal is willing to offer me any budgetary accommodations since the football program went downhill. So, I'm going to establish a two-week Music Camp for all the band members to bond in their new guild, under supervision of course. A competition the following week should inspire them all to work really hard for a stellar show when the season starts."

"Okay, okay…" Zera said, clutching her forehead. Mavis realized she was being quite loud and she decided to dial it back a bit. "It's a great idea on paper, but I can see quite a few snags."

"Like what?" Mavis asked with a pout, believing her plan to be flawless.

"First off, where exactly are you going to hold this camp?" Zera pointed out. Mavis, herself, blinked and then she grinned mischievously, bringing out another flyer. She let Zera peruse it. Having had the idea of a Music Camp since college (it had been a primary focus of her thesis), Mavis was prepared for the inevitable question of where an overnight camp would take place. The answer was always quite simple: Crocus Fields, a sprawling campus with cabins and state-of-the-art facilities, along with fields for practicing and proximity to the capital city of Crocus. The best part was that the proprietor was a man connected to the royal family and they all loved music. Having done statistical research, Mavis knew the prime time for rates was the first two weeks of August for both the prices and availability. Zera huffed, "Okay, fine, you got me. But these guild names…"

"What's wrong with them? I like them!"

"You would…" Zera drawled, suppressing a light yawn. "Sure, some of them like Saber Tooth and Blue Pegasus sound kind of cool, but Mermaid Heel? Quattro Cerberus?"

"I was trying to follow a mythical theme," Mavis pouted as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, I get that, but Fairy Tail? Really?" Zera asked, skepticism written all over her face. Mavis' eyes suddenly lit up at the mention of the name and she twisted on the bed to look eagerly at Zera.

"Ooh, that's my favorite!" she exclaimed loudly. Zera winced, evidently still recovering from her hangover. "Do fairies exist? If they do, do they have tails or not? It's an eternal mystery, and thus, an eternal adventure!"

"Okay! Okay!" Zera relented. Mavis realized she had leaned quite close to Zera and the brunette's hands pushed her back. "You put a lot of thought into the names, clearly…But you've overlooked something crucial to your six-guild plan."

"I thought I accounted for everything," Mavis hastily argued, snatching the papers to go back through them.

"Except for supervision," Zera sighed out. "You have six guilds. That's _six_ groups of students to a singular teacher? Even if you have help, you plus our whole group is five people at best, unless you want to put a pregnant woman in August heat."

"You know I don't want to do that…" Mavis grumbled. All too quickly, she was realizing that Zera was absolutely right. For all of her calculations, she hadn't accounted for the lack of teachers to balance the student/teacher ratio. A frown affixed itself to her face as she tried to figure out how to balance it. Zera suddenly sighed.

"All right, I'll figure it out," she said with a little exasperation. Mavis wasn't quite sure how to take that. "You know we'll help out, and I have an idea of who could help as a sixth."

"You do?" Mavis questioned, her voice quivering a little at Zera's tone. The brunette yawned again as she stood and stretched her arms high.

"Indeed. Spoiler alert: you won't like it…but right now, I'm too hungry to think of anything else." Mavis realized that was practically code for, "I won't tell you, no matter how much you ask". Knowing that, Mavis forced herself to push aside the sinking feeling in her stomach (attributing it to hunger) and move into the kitchen to make some poached eggs and a muffin. After that was done, she crashed for the day.

When the following day began, Mavis began work on finalizing the band program's ideas to prepare for a meeting with the principal on Friday. Zera left her alone, mostly because she had to attend to work at the shop, which was busier than ever during the summer. She returned home in a less than pleasant mood.

"That's it. If I'm helping you out, you're helping me!" she snapped, tearing into the hamburger before her with ferocious voracity. Mavis looked up from her own with a blink. "Too many damn people. I need to hire somebody to run the store while we're away. You're going to help me with that."

"Sure thing," Mavis chirped. It really wasn't a problem for her, and it was kind of her fault that Zera was in this position in the first place. The two girls decided to put an ad in the paper the next week, which happened to dovetail perfectly with Warrod and Precht confirming their availability and willingness. All that was left now to move forward was the approval of the principal. The meeting for that arrived the next morning and Mavis dressed in her most professional clothing before making her way to the school. There, she encountered a rather unexpected surprise.

"Little Miss Vermillion," chuckled the ever-imposing form of Acnologia as Mavis walked into the office area. The blonde didn't flinch at the sight of him (even if she did cringe inside a little). She knew this encounter was to happen sooner or later, ever since she saw he was vice principal. He certainly looked the part now: his long white hair was tied back and he was wearing a suit as opposed to a set of coach's clothing. "The rumor had been that you were returning to Magnolia High. It's been five years, hasn't it?"

"Well, I am back," Mavis insisted. She came nowhere near to matching the man in height, so she settled for leveling her best glare at him. Acnologia blinked a little, almost like he was surprised, before laughing a little, displaying his pointed teeth. "I look forward to bringing our school to greater heights."

"As do I, Miss Vermillion," Acnologia growled out. It wasn't an angry growl, though; more like a predator stalking its prey with deliberate precision. She was saved any more conversation with the unpleasant man by the principal's timely arrival.

Not even choosing to bid him a farewell, Mavis left Acnologia to join the principal and discuss the properties of the program that she had devised. The principal appeared entranced by it and the way she described it being put into practice. A few of the innovations that Mavis was hoping to implement appeared to surprise the principal, such as the introduction of drum majors. Prior to this, the teacher had been the conductor for the whole band, but Mavis liked the idea of furthering the students' independence by having them directly lead the band during marching season.

"So, you want to create student leaders, essentially?" the principal asked, finishing his perusal of the papers in front of him. Mavis nodded, watching his face for any reaction. He looked impressed, but his face also seemed to display some form of question. "Why not take it a step further?"

"I don't follow…" Mavis said with another frown.

"You have these guilds, which are a great tool for student growth and independence," the principal continued, "but just like our student council is run by a _student_ president, why not have the individual guilds also be led by a student…with teacher supervision, of course."

"That's actually a really good idea…but I'd have to see who's best for the position before I can decide."

"Naturally," the principal agreed. "Now, you _are_ planning to participate in competitions, yes? August's health left him unable to in recent years, so I was hoping for a return to-"

"Of course we'll be taking part!" Mavis cut him off. This had always been a dream of hers, and now that she was here, she wasn't letting the chance slip through her fingers. "I want the Magnolia Music Program to be the top music program in the country. I'll retake my title of Fairy Tactician and lead the students to victory in the national competition at the end of the season!"

The principal surveyed her for a moment before cracking his face with a wide smile. "Excellent! Then I'll write a letter to Crocus Fields so that you have some extra backup when you make the camp reservation. Also, here's the key to August's office; you'll find the audition tapes and the upcoming year's class list in there. Any questions, let me know."

"Yes, sir!" Mavis cried enthusiastically. Finally, things were moving the right way.

That meeting with the principal was only the beginning. Mavis was glad that she had never assumed getting everything together would be easy, because now was when the work really began. This sentiment was all the more enhanced by the following week. To start with were the bookings for Crocus Fields. Thankfully, the research she had done into peak times and costs proved to be beneficial as she was able to negotiate an inexpensive cost for the first two weeks of camp that included roughly six residence cabins, four practice cabins, a field, the dining hall (which included three square meals), the use of the office there, and one week's worth of a competitive stage use. The principal's letter helped things along in that regard.

The other thing keeping her week busy was Zera's ad. Neither girl had expected much of a result, and certainly not the result they did receive. By Wednesday morning, plenty of candidates were lining up outside. Despite the fact that it took away from her own planning, Mavis was very happy to screen said candidates. By Friday afternoon, Zera had picked someone out: a middle-aged man who had been a metalworker and was looking into retail. Even if he looked to have a bit of a drinking problem, he still looked earnest and respectable and Zera seemed confident she could trust him to run the shop, especially after seeing how hard he worked to make the shop a success.

When the weekend came, Mavis was teetering on exhaustion, but got reinvigorated by a single phone call.

"You got a job!" Yuri cheered loudly. He sounded happy, like he'd had a blast on his honeymoon. "Warrod told me about what's going on, and you know I'm down! Hope Zera doesn't mind Rita helping at the shop."

"I'm sure she'd be fine with that. Thanks, Yuri!"

With everyone confirmed (considering Zera had assured her of their sixth member), Mavis now threw herself into her student list, combined with composing music and crafting the show. August had definitely done the work that was needed with placing new students, but as she wanted to get to know them all better, Mavis watched through every single audition video. It did help her to settle on three drum majors, at least. The hardest part was choosing the guilds and who would be placed in them. Only Miko was a certainty for Fairy Tail; she felt that it fit. Combining that with choosing a guild leader and how everyone would mesh together in a show drove Mavis crazy through most of June.

By the time early July arrived, Mavis was very grateful for the reprieve that came with mailing out the new information to all the students. Of course, the reprieve was only in one area of her life as Mavis continued to help at the shop, as well as pestering Zera about who she'd recruited for their sixth member. Zera was cagey every time she was asked, which Mavis didn't like, but accepted. Then there were the surprise interruptions; apparently her being the new director was news not taken lightly.

"Are you really going to be our teacher, Miss Vermillion?" Miko and two of her friends asked with shining eyes.

"Yes, I am," Mavis answered with a laugh while moving a stack of boxes. "Did you get the mailing I sent?"

"Yeah, it looks awesome!" one of the other girls said. "I wonder what guild we'll all get put in. Can you tell us?"

"Sorry, my lips are sealed until the first evening of camp," Mavis told them. Either way, she was glad that the students were all excited about the possibilities the program now offered. They weren't the only ones excited about Mavis joining the teaching staff at Magnolia High. Some other band students were the most obvious, and then there were younger students who'd heard of the legendary Fairy Tactician from their older siblings. It was really capped off by most of her old teachers greeting her enthusiastically at a teacher meeting. Then there was the article a week before camp.

FAIRY TACTICIAN RETURNS TO MAGNOLIA HIGH!

It may have seemed like some sort of puff piece, but even there they were talking about her supposed revolutionary approach to the band program. That must have filled her with more anticipation than anyone else.

Finally, the first week of August arrived and Mavis and Zera headed to Crocus Fields. They were to arrive a day early for a staff meeting. That was when Mavis met Zera's mysterious sixth person, and her mouth dropped at the sight of him leaning on his car.

"Told you that you wouldn't like it…" Zera said matter-of-factly. Mavis grabbed her best friend by her tank top strap and dragged her around their car so they were hidden.

"Why did you ask Zeref?" Mavis hissed out in a whisper. "He's the enemy!"

"That sounds harsh," Zera said. "I know he broke your heart and all, but that's all the more reason for you two to reconnect and at least get some answers from the brooding bastard." Mavis peeked over the car to catch a glimpse of Zeref, and her heart clenched just a little at the sight. No, she couldn't feel anything for him anymore.

"That's not what I meant," Mavis whined, smacking her head loudly against the car. "He's the director of Tartaros Academy's music program. I'll be competing against them! He's an opponent of mine, and now we'll be handing him trade secrets!"

"Oh…didn't consider that," Zera finally said apologetically. "I don't think that's why he's here, though. All I had to do was say your name and-"

"Guess I'll have to do some damage control," Mavis cut across. Now was not the time to hear about Zeref's apparent, continued interest in her. Standing back up to her full height, Mavis brushed her clothes and approached him. Zera was quickly at her back and her black-haired ex-boyfriend caught sight of them.

"Mavis," he said. She tried to ignore the way he said it.

"Zeref," she countered, a measure of coldness in her voice. "I'm afraid I wasn't informed that you'd be here."

"Not a problem," he said with a small smile. "I'm happy to help. You were all my friends in high school, and my program isn't in desperate need of my direction right now."

Mavis' eyes narrowed. Somehow, that had sounded like an insult of her program. He may have been helping out, and he may have been her ex, but she wouldn't let such an insult slide by. "Well, let's just remember that while you're here, I'm in charge. This is my program, not yours, and I'm going to make it the best I can. If you want to help, you'll either follow my orders, or you can leave."

"I didn't mean any offense, Mavis," Zeref said softly. Mavis' lips tightened; it was so like him to blurt whatever he wanted to right out…until she remembered he was a liar. In the distance, the terrible trio of Yuri, Precht and Warrod were arriving.

"I prefer Miss Vermillion," she snapped before walking off to join them.

"Sorry, Miss Vermillion," his soft voice called out. Mavis felt Zera linger back for a moment and she heard every word spoken.

"Nice to see you again, asshole. You're off to a great start," she said to him before skipping off to rejoin Mavis. The blonde heard Zeref sigh before Yuri's excitement overrode it.

"This is gonna be awesome!" he cheered, either ignoring or not noticing Zeref's presence. "I haven't been to a camp since I was a kid! Now I get to be like a counselor!"

"Yuri, dial it back," Warrod said, pulling at the hem of his shirt. "You're at a fifteen, you should be at a five."

"Is that Zeref?" Precht asked, drawing attention to the one thing Mavis wanted to ignore. Before Yuri or Warrod could even do a double take, Zera was flinching next to her.

"Mr. Dragneel," Mavis corrected them. She wasn't about to bandy his name about like a familiar thing when it hadn't been for seven years. "Okay, let's head to the office and get the staff meeting started."

"Sweet!" Yuri exclaimed with a fist pump. "Mavis smiled and shook her head, leading the group to the second largest building on the campus that served as both an office and sleeping quarters for the staff. Once all six of them were settled in, they each took their seats around a round table.

"So, the night after tomorrow, after the first practice, I'll be announcing guild placements." Mavis began, handing a list to each one of them. She was proud of herself for having no hesitation in handing Zeref his. "The daily schedule for the first week will be sectionals in the morning, lunch, marching practice in the afternoon, dinner and guild practice in the evening."

"So, I'm in charge of Quattro Cerberus?" Yuri questioned, looking down his list. "Looks like it's all guys."

"Hey, Mermaid Heel is all girls," Zera countered.

"Yes, and the others are gender neutral. Precht is in charge of Lamia Scale, Warrod has Blue Pegasus, and Mr. Dragneel will take Saber Tooth, leaving me with Fairy Tail," Mavis said happily, but sternly.

"What about the second week?" Warrod asked.

"I thought we'd have a little mini-competition between the guilds, just for fun," she answered. Warrod looked mildly impressed and Mavis stood. "All right, everyone. Let's make this camp great!"

* * *

The next morning was just as busy as all the other preparations had been for Music Camp. Students weren't set to arrive until the afternoon, but it didn't mean that Mavis could just sit around. She had to check all the residential and practice cabins. Precht and Warrod made sure that the practice field was pristine and evenly lined, while Zera had to deal with a call from the shop. In order to get the checks done on time, this unfortunately meant that Mavis was forced to combine forces with Zeref. Thankfully, he kept a level of professionalism…which wasn't hard, considering she barely talked to him.

They did take their lunch break together, though.

"You're angry at me, aren't you?" he asked as Mavis popped a spoon of potatoes in her mouth.

"I'd say it leans more towards ambivalence," Mavis answered. She _wasn't_ angry at him, but she wasn't happy that he was here. "Personally, I'm not a fan of divulging program secrets to the enemy."

"I'm not interested in stealing. Just here to help." Mavis rolled her eyes and placed her spoon onto her plate.

"Why do you want to help, then?" Zeref didn't answer, opting for turning his head and staring wistfully off into space. This was clearly going to be a long week for the two of them. So, it turned out to be a good thing that the students arrived to distract both of them from the elephant between them. Mavis knew that she'd have to confront the issue sooner or later, but now wasn't the time.

Now was the time for the students.

"Welcome to Magnolia's Music Camp!" Mavis announced cheerfully when the students were assembled. Her words weren't without applause from most of the students. "For those of you who don't know me, I'm Miss Vermillion, your new band teacher. Once upon a time, I was a student of the band program, like you, under August. In his retirement, though, I'm very glad to be able to take the position, and obviously I'm changing a few things.

"I look forward to growing and learning with all of you! For today, though, you're free to have some fun. If you need help finding your cabins, talk to myself or the other supervisors. Tomorrow morning, we begin with work!"

Despite being told they'd have to endure the summer heat outside, the students appeared enthusiastic, and that was more than Mavis could already hope for. Maybe these changes would be enough to propel the program to even greater heights. Either way, Mavis was prepared for the long haul and her mind never stopped working once on trying to make the program better.

When the next morning arrived, the excitement hadn't dulled whatsoever and every student was assembled before Mavis as she made sure they were each in their sections. She had spent weeks finding appropriate spots on the campus map for each section to practice, and it was to those places that she directed each of them. Zera was assigned to assist the clarinets while the trio went to help what was once their own sections. This left only Mavis and, naturally, Zeref.

"Any particular task for me to do?" he asked, putting his hands in his pockets.

"You're going to be a floater with me," Mavis stated. She smiled a little to take the edge off. "Can't let a spy like you out of my sight."

"I'm not a spy…" Zeref replied with a touch of exasperation.

"Sure you're not," Mavis giggled out, almost enjoying the way he was getting flustered over the accusation.

"What do I have to do to convince you?" he sighed out. Mavis continued to laugh, and before she knew it, Zeref had joined in. Only when they both realized what the other was doing, did they stop. Mavis cleared her throat loudly. "Where do we go first?"

Those words finally brought Mavis back to reality and she made a direct beeline for the area where the flutes were practicing. Zeref was behind her. Fighting down the redness in her face, Mavis tried to forget about the moment they'd just had. It was almost like they'd slipped into who they were seven years ago and for an impossible moment, Mavis thought she could get back to normal and forgive Zeref. Now, however, was the present and she was yet again less than enthused to be working with him. Instead of dwelling on it, Mavis decided on delving deep into assisting the students. It proved more rewarding than she'd expected, especially when the marching practice came about. As it was the first day, Mavis took charge of the practice on her own, watching her potential candidates for drum majors to see if she had made the right choices.

The most important, and most anticipated, part for both sides was when the evening arrived and the guild announcement were set to be made. Standing before the students again, Mavis beamed at them and prepared to embark on the biggest change that the Magnolia Music Program would have.

"As you all know, I am instituting a guild program," Mavis told them all. "These guilds are all varied in terms of musical prowess and are evenly balanced. They may be small, but I do believe that each of these guilds can be like a family for each of you, driving you forward, making you better. My hope is that all of the guilds can work together both within themselves and as a whole in the entire band. Those kinds of bonds will be crucial next week when we begin the competition; a friendly contest to see which guild comes out on top."

"Excuse me, Miss Vermillion!" called a boy in the crowd, standing next to Miko. "Can I ask why you decided to make the guilds?"

"I want to encourage the bonds among all the group's members and to foster your own independence. When the guilds can all fully appreciate that, then I'll have my goal realized," Mavis said kindly. "And…because you all are my comrades in making this program the best it could be. Camaraderie isn't just a word. It's friendship of the heart. It's that person you trust unconditionally. I may be your teacher, but you can rely on me, just as I'm sure I will be relying on you. In painful times…In sad times…I will be by your side. Remember you aren't alone! There are as many dreams out there as there are stars in the sky. The breeze on your skin foretells the events of tomorrow. Now, let us walk together…to the rhythm of the fairies' song…"

Mavis' speech was met with stunned silence. She took that opportunity to begin reading off the guild placements. One by one, the students made their way to Zera and the others, who were holding symbols to represent the guilds. When all of the students were properly split up, Mavis bounced over to the Fairy Tail guild. Miko was at the front, staring at her with shining eyes. Somehow, no words needed to be said, so Mavis just smiled at the new guild and led them forward…in tune with the fairies' song.

* * *

Following the (in Mavis' opinion) successful beginnings of the guild program, Music Camp really picked up. Every day the students were excited to practice, even if each day appeared to be hotter than the next. Most of all, they really seemed to enjoy their guild practices in the evening, and each one of them seemed to be developing their own personal likes within days. Blue Pegasus, under Warrod, seemed to become rather classy in the way they interacted with one another; Lamia Scale certainly prescribed to Precht's personality as occasionally goofy yet very focused. Owing to gender differences, and Yuri's hyperactive personality, Quattro Cerberus and Mermaid Heel had become polar opposites. Saber Tooth, under Zeref, was harder to get a read on while Fairy Tail (admittedly Mavis' favorite) had adopted her own bubbly and zany personality.

When it came to Zeref, things appeared to be improving. Sure, she'd yet to get the courage to ask him the things she wanted to ask him, but at least now she could stand next to him and laugh without her heart hurting. She was unsure what he was thinking or feeling, but at least on a personal level they were no longer at odds with each other. Maybe she was moving on, finally. Professionally, though, was a whole different matter; she wasn't letting him out of her sight. Now an amicable ex-boyfriend or not, Zeref was still technically the enemy. Albeit, an enemy with good ideas, which he happened to prove again on the morning of the official last day of practice, once he caught sight of the sluggish students amidst the heat wave.

"Doesn't look like they'll be getting much work done today, not with how hot it is," Warrod commented.

"I feel like a popsicle…" Zera whined, her face smashed against the teachers' table.

"Precht…call Rita…tell her I might not make it…"

"Don't be so melodramatic, Yuri," Precht snapped, but it wasn't like he looked any more comfortable. Mavis frowned. A morning session was one thing, but even she could admit her brain would be fried by the afternoon.

"Why not take the afternoon off?" Zeref suggested. Mavis wanted to glare at him, like he was suggesting blasphemy in his attempt to get ahead. "It's not like you'll get any further this afternoon, so why not have some sort of fun group event."

"Swimming…" Zera chirped out, sounding more like a squeak. Mavis tapped her fingers against the table in contemplation. Once she's thought through it, Mavis stood.

"Everyone, we have a change in plans!" she announced, garnering attention. "This morning we will be focusing solely on marching practice to try and finalize the show. However, the rest of the day we will be having a Pool Festival. All afternoon and evening we'll have a party at the pool! Bring your suits and have some fun!"

"YES!" Yuri yelled, matching the students in volume and excitement. Seeing the happy looks, Mavis felt that she had certainly made the right choice, even if it had been presented by Zeref. That didn't mean Mavis would let them off the hook. Gone was the band ruled by slackers; she was going to make them great by practice that morning. Thankfully, the promise of a Pool Festival invigorated everyone and made them have fun in their practice, which was exactly what she wanted.

Ironically, by the time lunch arrived, no one was more excited than Mavis, herself. Not that she was the first at the pool; that right happened to go to Yuri and the boys of Quattro Cerberus, who started a rough game of pool basketball. Mavis decided to sit far removed from that mess with Zera, who was busy sun tanning. Mavis was pretty sure she'd fallen asleep.

"Aren't you going to wear a swimsuit, Miss Vermillion?" Miko asked, she and her friends dressed in their own bikinis. The blonde noticed some of the boys from Blue Pegasus ogling them. She also caught sight of Zeref, shirtless on a pool chair while he read a book. Mavis felt herself go red.

"No…I burn easily, so…"

"Liar," Zera said, proving that she wasn't asleep. "She's just embarrassed to be seen by Mr. Dragneel."

"He _is_ kind of hot," said one of Miko's friends. Mavis stood, tossing a glare at Zera, who was grinning cheekily.

"No, I'm not. I've got no problem showing off around him." And with those words, Mavis spent the rest of the Pool Festival in her bikini, glaring at the male students that dared to look at her, and taking pleasure in proving Zera wrong. Unfortunately, she paid for it with the massive sunburn on her back that prevented her from sleeping. The stinging sensation, combined with Yuri's endless snoring, promised a restless night. It made her all too aware of the door opening and closing. Mavis woke up and followed out the door, curious about what was going on. She'd only taken a few steps out when she saw Zeref, illuminated by the moonlight, over at a payphone. He looked to be nodding with a frown on his face, and Mavis decided to not butt in.

Unable to sleep still, Mavis decided to do a little bit of exploring around the campground. Feeling the soft grass between her toes, Mavis wandered across the campus, eventually finding her way into the forest full of branches and brambles. A shimmer in the distance caught her eye and she followed it, emerging at a starlit pond in the middle of a copse of trees. The very sight was mesmerizing.

"Reminds me of our first date," Zeref's voice said from behind. Mavis whipped around to him. "Sorry, I just saw you and decided to follow."

"And why are you up, anyway?" Mavis asked with a huff. Zeref drew next to her, staring out over the pond.

"My pager beeped," he answered. "There are some issues back home, so I'm afraid I'll have to leave tomorrow. I did enjoy the last week, though."

"Mmm…" Mavis remarked, now turning to fully face him. "I want to thank you for your help, then, but don't expect me to go easy on you. The Magnolia Music Program will be number one."

"How about a friendly wager, then?" Mavis looked at the young man curiously. "If you win, I'll resign as director of Tartaros and work as your subordinate, no questions asked."

"And if you win?" Mavis asked, hardly feeling like her reward was worth anything, but accepting it all the same.

"Then you'll allow me to take you somewhere."

"A date?" she asked, her voice dropping a few octaves.

"Perhaps. I guess the both of us will find out." He looked down at her with a very brief smirk before beginning to walk away, crashing through the brush. "Guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other. May the best director win."

Then he was gone. Mavis frowned again, admitting to herself how conflicted she felt. From that conflict, however, rose a very potent feeling: she would defeat Zeref. Not because of the bet, but because she needed to. Knowing this, she smirked.

"Let the games begin, then."

* * *

 **Author's Note: And so the Magnolia Music Program is formed! Yay! Obviously, for those of you that have read Musical Chairs, you'll all know this was a foregone conclusion, as are some other upcoming events. However, the rest of some details are being kept super-secret. Either way, I really enjoyed forming the program this time as well as inserting the Song of the Fairies and a small statement that Laxus had said Mavis said (during Musical Chairs). Well, obviously now a major conflict will begin. How will the game, and the relationship, between Zeref and Mavis go? Well, you'll have to tune in next time. And until then, please do Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	10. Chapter 10

**We've reached double digits! Yay! That said, we're deep in the thick of this back half. Please enjoy Chapter 10!**

* * *

Chapter 10

Mavis hadn't been surprised by the result that had arrived in that next week. In fact, she had anticipated it.

The "Grand Music Games", as she had decided to call them, would be a series of four competitions over five days, with a single follow-up day meant for fun, packing up and introspection. She had _wanted_ it to be a series of five competitions, but lacked the number of students to justify a competition that would have been remarkably similar to another. Warrod had been the one to convince her of that fact. So, the Grand Music Games moved ahead with their format as it was.

Fairy Tail quickly started winning. Mavis was pleased with the result, but that didn't mean she'd let the other guilds start lagging behind. While she held a special place in her heart for the frontrunner, due to the name, she still went around to all of the other guilds in order to encourage them to be better. She _was_ director, after all, and that meant not showing favoritism, which often included staying behind to help the other guilds practice.

In the long run, it didn't make a difference, as Fairy Tail was able to come out on top with a victory, but when that final day approached, the point gap between the guilds was a lot less than it was on day one. This was particularly true for Lamia Scale, who had lost by all of two points on the final day. None of them let it get them down, though.

"We'll do better next year, Miss Vermillion!" said one of the students from the second place guild.

"I look forward to your performance, then," she giggled out to them. It was so weird having people almost her age treating her with so much respect. "Have a good rest of the summer. I'll see you all when school starts."

"Thanks for a great camp, Miss Vermillion!" Miko cheered, giving a wave to the blonde as she ran to her mother's car. Mavis waved to the local Magnolia baker before going back to making sure all of the other students were on their way home. When, at last, the campgrounds had finally cleared, Mavis fell against Zera's car and let out a sigh. The brunette slammed the trunk down with all of their stuff inside.

"And you think _you're_ bushed?" Zera snarked out. "Next year, pay me."

"Hopefully, I'll be able to," Mavis replied as she got back in the car while Zera turned it on. "Thanks for helping out this week, Zera."

"Hey, what are sisters for?" Zera joked with her. Mavis didn't respond, clasping her hands in her lap. Her best friend appeared to realize this. "What's wrong?"

"This was just the first part," Mavis said sternly. "Now's when the real competition begins."

"You mean…with Zeref?" Mavis nodded in response, her throat and hands clenching. "You're really going to fight against him, huh?"

"I have to. For me," she said with determination. Zera offered no response, and even Mavis wasn't sure of what she could say, anyway. All she knew was that this was a battle she needed to win. It wasn't about their bet, or proving that Magnolia could have the better band program. It wasn't even about proving anything to Zeref after all these years apart. Instead, competing and winning against him was about proving she could stand on her own two feet; that she could accomplish her goal and what she'd set out to do without needing his help. Beating him at the one thing both of them were good at was a perfect way to prove that. Maybe…once she'd done that, she could ask him those questions that she still hadn't wanted to.

The girls arrived home late that night, having picked up some takeout on the way back. They also checked out the store. Zera said it was to "make sure the place is still in one piece". It was, though their profits had expectedly been a little lower the last two weeks. That was no surprise, given that those who were the majority of the store's income were away at camp for two weeks. Zera seemed pleased, though, if tired. She snarfed down her dinner and hopped into the shower. Mavis felt this was becoming a trend for the girl.

Yawning in her exhaustion, Mavis set herself to task in putting away all of their belongings, which wasn't much. As she put some of her unused plans back in her closet, a binder fell to the floor with a thud. Groaning to herself, the blonde bent down to pick up the binder, opening it in the process. She blinked at what she saw inside and sighed: it was the old show plans that she and Zeref had come up with together. Emitting another sigh, she put the binder back. She really couldn't get away from him…but maybe…

 _Brrrrrring!_ The shrill sound of the phone ringing jerked Mavis' whole body. The water was still running in the bathroom, so Mavis huffed loudly and made her way into the kitchen to answer the phone. Not even hesitating, Mavis picked it up. "Mavis Vermillion, speaking. Who is this?"

"Mavis…" the voice came from the other end. Recognizing the voice, she expected her body to freeze up, but she didn't. Mavis didn't believe in fate or destiny necessarily, but she knew it wasn't mere chance that had once brought her and Zeref together. Maybe… "I'm stupid…"

"Since when?" Mavis asked simply. He sounded strange, like he wasn't quite as in control as he usually was. "You've always been one of the smartest people I've ever known. That hasn't changed, likely."

"I did stupid, stupid things…" he said, like he didn't even hear her. "I let you go."

"You…" He had said it so quietly, like he was positively ashamed of that fact. She wasn't sure what to say, but this certainly wasn't the kind of Zeref she remembered.

"Never forgot about you," he mumbled into her ear with a sigh. "I wanted to become a teacher, just to see you again…but I messed up."

"Zeref, get some sleep," Mavis insisted. She now realized why he was acting so odd: he was completely plastered. "You're drunk. You're not thinking straight."

"I'm fine," he said staunchly. "But I…I let go of you. I never should have…never…you…understood me, and I lo…"

"Zeref," she snapped, more insistently now. He couldn't say what she thought he was about to say. He seemed to get the message, because he stopped.

"I just want you back." Then he hung up the phone. Mavis sighed. Just when she thought life wouldn't be complicated…Running a hand through her long tresses, Mavis hung the phone back on the receiver.

"Who was that?" called Zera's voice from the hallway. The blonde turned to see her best friend dressed in nothing but a towel and wringing her hair out over the kitchen floor. Mavis frowned at this and grabbed a dry towel before proceeding to throw it at Zera's feet. The brunette shrugged with indifference, but she did stop wringing her hair.

"Uh…Zeref called," Mavis finally answered, her eyes momentarily drawn to the phone.

"Oh. What did he want?" Zera actually looked sympathetic, maybe as a way of apologizing to her for dragging Zeref to the Music Camp and putting them in an awkward situation. Still, despite the apologetic tone in her voice, Mavis wasn't quite so sure that she should share with her. It would probably just get leaked to Yuri, anyway.

So, she decided to lie…or at least play dumb.

"Not sure. He seemed a little drunk," Mavis evaded nicely. "Is the shower free?"

"Mavis…" The blonde just offered a teasing smile as she slipped past Zera and into the bathroom. It was a good thing that Zera couldn't chase after or risk the possibility of slipping. Breaking her way into the bathroom, Mavis closed and locked the door. For a moment, she let herself try to catch her breath. "You can't run forever."

"I don't plan to," she whispered. She wasn't sure if it was enough for Zera, but at that point, Mavis was willing to let her mind go blank. No Zeref, no Zera, no Music Camp. It was just going to be her and the water, and she knew that she'd feel better in the morning.

Maybe.

* * *

The air became cool quite quickly towards the end of August. It was certainly unusual weather, but after the heat wave they'd had to endure at the beginning, most residents of Magnolia welcomed the change. The trees appeared to welcome it as well, turning to different shades of color. Mavis appreciated the nature of it all. More than that, however, Mavis was happy that the school year was about to begin. Before her first teacher's meeting and the first planned practice of the year, Mavis found herself buried in a stack of pamphlets. Precht once found her buried in these.

"Contests, huh?" he asked, picking up one of them when he came to visit. "I like this one: Akane Contest."

"I figure the students would probably enjoy it," Mavis commented. She scanned the other colorful pamphlets in front of her. There were very few options to choose from, now that she was thinking about it. Having a relatively low-profile band program meant there weren't a lot of competitions open to them, considering you had to be invited to a whole bunch. Naturally, they hadn't, so Mavis had to pick out very open competitions, yet also figure out how to stagger them across the marching season. "There's a resort at Akane and lodgings and amenities are available to everyone participating. I think they're trying to make it as popular as Nationals."

"You're really shooting for Nationals, then?" Precht asked her. He got into a crouch and pointed at a random pamphlet. Mavis picked it up and looked it over. It seemed like a rather bland competition setting, but its date fit nicely around midseason and didn't clash with the Akane Competition. It would have to do.

"Of course I am," Mavis assured him. "August had the band take place in competitions, sure, but only the seniors really remember that time. Also, they never even got close to making Nationals."

"Sounds rather complicated, then," the slightly older man replied. He had left his crouch to sit on the floor with his legs crossed. "I'll stick with my schoolwork."

"It's not too bad," Mavis assured him. "Marching band competitions have really grown in popularity over the last few years, so there's more than enough to choose from. I mean, it also means there's more competition, but I feel positive about our chances. All we have to do is compete in three contests and make top five in one of them."

"That still seems like a tall order," Precht commented dryly, like he was glad it wasn't him that had to deal with this. "By the way, apparently I've been scouted."

Mavis looked up from her pamphlets after grabbing one on the Worth Competition, having already decided on it as her third competition. Her eyes were shining as she did so; she very much liked hearing about the success of her friends. "That's wonderful, Precht! By who?"  
"Grimoire Preparatory School," he told her sternly. "They wouldn't want me to start for another year, but it's nice to know I can already consider my options. Not sure how I feel about competing with you, though."

"Nothing wrong with a little competition!" Mavis chirped happily. "That was the basis of the guild program, anyway."

"True enough," Precht agreed. However, when he left soon after that, he still looked extremely discomfited by the notion. Mavis, on the other hand, felt positively cheerful about the whole thing. It helped that she had finally selected her three competitions and all that was left was to have them approved by the school board.

That step came just the day before school was to officially begin. Every teacher, old and new, was set to meet with the board and discuss the general direction the school would be taking that year and to fill in any other information that was pertinent for the teachers. Apparently, this was also where clubs and the teachers in charge of them were also approved, Mavis quickly learned. It led to a slightly humorous exchange with Warrod.

"Another year, another Horticulture Club idea is shot down," he said with a joking smile. Mavis looked at her friend with a sense of both surprise and admiration. She'd had no idea he was so passionate about starting what was otherwise a glorified gardening club. Years of friendship and she was still learning new things. Almost made her wonder what else she hadn't known about _him_. Almost. "No worries, though, Mavis. The board's approved me helping you out, and that's not a joke."

"Aw, thanks, Warrod!" Mavis said with joy. Soon, it was her turn to get called before the board. She wasn't intimidated at all, even at the sight of Acnologia on the panel. The board chairman, a rather older man with an egregiously puffy white beard, looked over the program plan for the year. At one point, he lowered his glasses a little and peered at her over the edge of the paper.

"Nationals, hm?" he asked in a rumbling voice. It was almost like he was trying to intimidate her, but Mavis easily held her ground. Four years of being terrorized by Acnologia made her immune to those kinds of tactics. The savage vice principal knew it, too, because he was simply sitting there with a small smirk but an otherwise bored expression. "You're certain you can do this for the band when no one else has before?"

"I am," Mavis answered clearly. She felt there was no real need to expound any further. The chairman raised his glasses up and took a stamp to her plan.

"Very well," he spoke in a resounding voice. "Your plan and the accompanying expenses are approved. We will send you copies of a letter in a couple days' time that you can use to register for the competitions."

"Thank you very much," Mavis issued gratefully, bowing her head as she did so. So far, this hadn't been quite the uphill battle she was expecting. Her eyes slid along the board and focused on Acnologia. His smirk looked a little wider, and she knew that her battle wasn't over yet. He confirmed this fact seconds later, when he cleared his throat.

"Ah, yes…" the chairman mumbled out. "We did notice that you asked for field practice during school hours, but I'm afraid that won't be possible."

Mavis' lips tightened and her eyes once more went back to the chairman, but she let nothing else in her movements betray her agitation. She wouldn't give Acnologia the satisfaction. "I'm assuming there's a good reason for this."

"It's fall. We want the students to enjoy the outdoors while they have a chance to in gym. Then there's the football team to consider…" Mavis definitely let her scowl show this time, judging by the chairman's reaction. It was always that damn football team. "Miss Vermillion, let's look at it this way: it's a trial for you to undertake, seeing how well you can do with these restrictions set in place."

"That's not good enough," Mavis argued loudly. Murmurs cascaded around the board members at her outburst. "You approved my plan on the basis that I could win Nationals with it. How do you expect me to do that if you tie my hands?"

"Miss Vermillion," came Acnologia's voice. Mavis shot a glare at him, but knew enough to not expect a flinch from the man. "Don't forget that your program is still in its fledgling stages. Until it has become of major note, pardon the pun, like the football team, I can't see why it would be feasible to offer you _more_ practice time."

"That's just-"

"Why don't we revisit this at another time," the chairman suddenly interjected. "Miss Vermillion, the Worth Competition is in three weeks. We'll discuss practice field accommodations after we see how well the band performs there."

"Very well," Mavis accepted, knowing that it would be foolish to continue arguing further. With that matter put on hold, Mavis took her ratified plans and retreated from the room. The rest of the institute day was far less eventful. Since she owned a whole department to herself, there were barely any team building exercises to be had, so other than catching up with old teachers, Mavis was able to go home early. She was still in a bad mood by the time Zera returned home from the shop. Said mood was able to persist through dinner…at least until Zera said something very wise.

"You keep scowling like that, you'll freak your students out," she told her bluntly. "Don't forget, they all know you as the fun but stern Miss Vermillion. Not a grouch."

"Right…you're right," Mavis said. Zera's words helped her to melt the negative expressions off her face, even if she was still upset about being denied the use of the practice field. Zera nodded, like she was saying that she was always right, and went back to flicking through channels. She settled on some random sitcom that managed to elicit a few chuckles from her. Mavis was barley watching, her mind trying to figure out how to make the best out of this really crappy situation.

The answer came in the most unexpected of ways.

In the sitcom they were watching, the students at a high school decided to have a game of kickball in the school itself. Being played for humor obviously meant that their attempts to play kickball in the classroom went horribly awry. On the other hand, Mavis' eyes widened with a stroke of brilliance. Zera didn't take notice, but Mavis' lip twisted in concentration and her mind began to run simulations. She paired the football field against the size of the band room. While the proportions were a little off, Mavis felt she'd have no problem adjusting it to scale.

Excusing herself from the room, Mavis returned to her own and dragged out a sheet of paper, a ruler, colored pencils and her drawing of the current show. Focusing intensely, Mavis dug into mapping out the reduced scale of the show. She didn't stop until she was finished, which happened to be around the time that Zera flicked the lights off and went to sleep. Yawning to herself, Mavis followed suit in the hopes that everything would work out right the next day.

Then her first official day as a teacher finally arrived. Feeling positively giddy about the opportunities before her and despite the challenges, Mavis got up early for a decent breakfast. Zera woke up sometime in the middle of all this, and downed a hot cup of coffee. Finally, the two best friends bid farewell. Mavis had to admit that the whole situation felt very strange. Here she was, heading back into the bustle of Magnolia High, only now she was a teacher instead of a lowly student. It didn't mean her name wasn't known in the halls of the school, though.

"Hi, Miss Vermillion! Looking forward to class today!" Miko chirped out. Mavis waved at the ginger while on her way. She had gotten there quite early, but was glad to once more mingle with the students as she came back from the maintenance office with a gigantic roll of duct tape."

"Is she a new teacher? She looks kind of young…" said a boy who looked to be a football player. His friend next to him appeared to smack him on the back of the head. Somehow, the two reminded her of Precht and Yuri.

"You idiot! That's the Fairy Tactician, Mavis Vermillion!"

"What the hell is a fairy tactician?"

"I am," Mavis answered sweetly, stopping to face the boys. They both looked like deer caught in headlights, eliciting a giggle from her. "Judging from your letterman's jacket, you must be related to the former linebacker of the football team, right, Mr. Redfox?"

"Uh…yeah," the sterner of the two friends said. "He's my cousin. He, uh, talked a lot about you back in the day, Miss Vermillion."

"I'm sure he did," Mavis said with a twinkle in her eyes. "The football team and I weren't on the best of terms back in the day. I'm hoping that we can ultimately have a better relationship between our programs."

"Like…you don't want us to harass band nerds?" asked Redfox's friend. He slapped him again.

"I don't want you to call them 'band nerds' at all? We're all just people, right?"  
"You can count on us, Miss Vermillion!" Mavis smiled sweetly at them once again and then moved on. After a few more random greetings, and a tense scowling encounter with Acnologia (who appeared to be doing little more than stalking the halls), Mavis finally arrived back at the band room. Warrod was there, too…along with Yuri for some reason.

"Whoo…Acne does _not_ look happy," Yuri whistled out. "What's the duct tape for?"

"Line markers. Since you're here, do you mind helping me move everything out of the way, Yuri?" she asked him. Yuri pumped his fist in triumph.

"Sure thing! Mavis' first day on the job and I get to help out!" Yuri cheered, taking hold of three music stands at once and dragging them out of the way. Warrod let off a nervous chuckle.

"You two have fun with that," he told the duo as he backed out of the classroom. "I have a class to teach."

"Coward," Yuri called him out. Mavis wasn't quite so sure that he had heard, since he'd already vanished out of the door. Both of them just shrugged, laughed it off, and returned to work. By the time lunch rolled around, Mavis and Yuri had succeeded in putting all of the chairs and stands out of the way before Mavis measured out her new scale perfectly and put all the duct tape down to denote it. "It was lots of fun."

"Thanks for your help, Yuri," Mavis said genuinely. The older blonde ruffled her hair a little and she swatted him away.

"What are friends for? We're all proud of you, Mavis. Even Precht, who's about as surly as a rock," Yuri informed her. He then began to walk away with a parting wave. "I'll send your regards to Rita!"

Following Yuri's departure, Mavis took her lunch alone and spent the rest of her time getting the applications to the competitions submitted. In the middle of those preparations, she received the letter from the school board (which arrived a lot sooner than expected). Finally, the last period of the day arrived.

"Whoa…" was the general expression from most of the students upon seeing the band room's strange setup.

"I know, it looks weird," Mavis called out to the group of students, "but since we're not allowed the use of the field outside, I thought we'd do it inside as best we could. It's not quite the hundred yards, but it's close enough, and I've photocopied your starting positions to scale to help you out."

She then proceeded to hand out the single pages with the dots and numbers on them. When she was certain that all of the students had a chance to look it over, she began ushering them into position. That, in and of itself, took almost half of the class time, mostly because Mavis had to constantly be making adjustments, either because she didn't account for the girth of some students or her calculations were just slightly off. By the time everyone was into position and Mavis had looked at the clock, there were only twenty minutes left of class. As a result, Mavis simply decided to work on the music for the show. At least she was pleased with _that_ aspect by class' end.

"Sorry that we don't have use of the field," she apologized to the students as they began packing their instruments away. "I hope tomorrow we'll be able to get into this formation as quickly as possible for practice."

"Yes, ma'am!" Mavis exhaled in relief, grateful that the experience of the day had not deterred them from being able to enjoy band. She bid a final farewell at the bell and, as it was the end of the day, watched each of them leaving. To her immense surprise, she saw the students in groups as they left. More importantly, they were in their guilds. This simple fact stretched a grin across her face. She may not have had the practice she desired, but her program was already changing something for the better.

For the moment, that was good enough.

* * *

The Worth Competition, located in a town called Cait Shelter, on the edge of the enormous Worth Woodsea, was to be held just three weeks after school began. All this amounted to was the fact that Mavis had nary a moment to rest. After the first week, the students were slightly struggling without the use of an actual football field, a fact she was reminded of every time she passed by Acnologia's smirking or scowling face in the hallways. Not that they weren't used to it already; despite reduced dimensions, all of her students were able to pick up on the scale and were quite good at adjusting accordingly. It took a lot of work, but Mavis did feel they were getting somewhere.

Thankfully, there was one less worry by the middle of that second week. Like a deluge of mail, Mavis got each of the letters registering her participation in the competitions. It came complete with everything from a guidebook for the area, a rule book and the participants. It was one lunch period that she spent perusing the list, finding something very odd about it: Tartaros Academy was nowhere to be found on any of the lists. Mavis was genuinely unsure as to whether she should feel elated or sad. Whatever conflicted emotions were arising in her brain, they were all dashed by a knock on her office door. The blonde stowed the lists away with a curious expression and went to answer the door.

"Miko, Chiko, what are you girls doing here?" she asked in surprise at the sight of the girls, though not unkindly. "Shouldn't you be at lunch?"

"Lunchroom's way too crowded, Miss Vermillion," Miko argued happily. "Besides, you always look so lonely around lunchtime, so we thought we'd spend some time with you."

"That's very sweet. Thank you, Miko." And she was truly grateful. Sometimes, Warrod would join her for lunch, but more often than not, he was busy grading papers. So, the band director was happy to have some company.

As it turned out, after that first week of lunch with some of her favorite students (no matter how much she tried to remain impartial), her group of lunch-mates very quickly grew. It was almost like the whole thing just happened overnight and before she knew it, Mavis had about five to ten lunch-mates a day. Considering the program was only about seventy students, having that many for lunch a day was quite substantial. It only grew by the week before the first competition when the two football students and a couple of their friends came to the band room. Granted, they were met by a very tense and rigid atmosphere, but it quickly melted away by the time Redfox's friend, the one who had called them "band geeks", stepped forward to look at a baritone.

"Hey, what's this thing? It looks cool…" Somehow, that managed to break the ice between the two groups of students. Had it been just those seven years ago and someone told her that the walls between the band and football team would be utterly obliterated, she probably would have laughed at the notion. Yet, here was the proof. Miko looked to be at the forefront of this, teaching the boy that was Redfox's friend (whose last name was Lockser) how to play the clarinet. She'd even gotten some teasing about doing it.

The end result, to Mavis' genuine surprise, was that by the end of that week leading up to the competition, she had somehow become the most popular teacher at Magnolia High. She was certainly all of the band students' favorite teacher, no matter the hardship each of them endured every practice. When she shared this information with Warrod, he just laughed about it, which did nothing to elucidate the situation, only made worse by the imposing presence of Acnologia. The blonde had a feeling that the savage man was angry about her surprising popularity but couldn't do anything because of it. Mavis shared both of these facts with Zera at dinner the night before the competition.

"Of course you're popular as a teacher, Mavis," she said (or, at least, that's what Mavis thought she said through the pasta). "You're ridiculously sweet to everyone, even your students. You changed the school for the better, especially the once ridiculed band program. That's just par for the course for the Fairy Tactician. As for Acnologia, he's probably just bitter because he wants to get rid of the program entirely, but now he can't."

"I wonder why he does, though…" Mavis mused, her fork halfway to her mouth and dripping sauce.

"I prefer to _not_ think about how that sadist's mind works."

Mavis could easily agree to that, and she let the issue of the vice principal flit away from her mind. Instead, she focused on the feelings of nervousness, anticipation and…excitement. This was it; her very first competition as a teacher, and she was determined to do the very best she could. She did wish for a little more moral support from her friends, though. Unfortunately, Zera had to continue running the shop, Precht was working on his paper, Warrod was stuck grading tests, and Yuri and Rita had a doctor's appointment for her pregnancy. This left Mavis relatively alone with a bunch of lethargic teenagers.

Their lethargy did manage to leave them about halfway between Magnolia and Cait Shelter, replaced with excitement about the upcoming competition. Mavis was too busy perusing the itinerary to truly notice. Apparently, they were one of the first bands to participate amongst a list of over twenty. If that didn't heap on the pressure, then their arrival certainly did. For the first time since Mavis had started on this venture, she actually felt overwhelmed…and underprepared. Every band that was there had almost military precision and fancy costumes. By comparison, Mavis felt that maybe they weren't ready for this, after all. Their uniforms were certainly lame (though she had the foresight to commission decent ones) in comparison. Her hands began to sweat as she went to inform the event organizers that they were here. Her nervous expression must have shown, and it must have been a great divide from her usual demeanor, because Miko approached her upon her return.

"We'll be fine, Miss Vermillion," she assured her. That simple reassurance spoke volumes.

"Thank you, Miko," she said, causing the ginger to smile. "Okay, everyone, let's get into formation."

It wasn't quite the military precision that other bands had, but for what it was worth, the band still looked very good. Most important, though, was how excited they all looked. That was truly worth more than looking hyper-professional. It wasn't long before they were called to head to the field. Each of her students looked at her for words of inspiration and encouragement. So, all she did was recite what had been dubbed "The Song of the Fairies", some of the students having memorized it and saying it with her. Then they marched off.

All of Mavis' willpower had to be used to stop herself from pacing while the drum majors led them onto the field. There was nothing she could do as a teacher now. It was all up to those students. Regardless of that, the blonde kept her gaze rooted on her band, and only her band. She was grateful it wasn't a disaster. Of course, there were still some moments that Mavis winced and cringed at before making a note in her head, as well as some other mistakes that came from the transition of classroom to field, but there wasn't much she could do about that. Sooner than later it was over, and Mavis let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

"Great job, guys!" she said to them all. "So, you're free to do whatever you want, but I want you to gather over there when they announce placements." Every student seemed pretty excited about that notion and they changed in a hurry. Once the students were off doing their thing, Mavis returned to the bleachers to watch the rest of the bands. Watching them elated her somehow; some weren't as good as theirs, while others were the definition of "prepared". The best of these was undoubtedly a group called the Balam Demons. Despite their group looking like they despised each other, they still put out the unequivocally best performance of all the bands.

"I had a feeling you'd be here." The familiar voice made her jump in her state of enhanced concentration. She turned and noticed Zeref taking a seat next to her. For a brief moment, Mavis wondered if he was a figment of her imagination. She blinked a few times and he didn't disappear. Then she poked his cheek. "Why are you poking me?"

"Because I wasn't sure if you were real," she stated simply. Not that she _wanted_ to hallucinate him. "I didn't see Tartaros Academy on the participant list, so what are you doing here?"

"They're not listed under Tartaros," Zeref said simply. Mavis turned to look at him, and the memories of his drunken conversation with her many weeks back flooded into her. She flushed a bright red, but he didn't notice. "The Balam Demons."

"That's _your_ band? !" Mavis asked in utter surprise, a look of revulsion on her face.

"Technically," he handwaved. "It's actually a joining of three bands: Tartaros Academy, Grimoire Prep, and the Oración Seis School of the Performing Arts. They all hate each other, but the suggestion allowed me to make a grander show thanks to size. Don't worry, though, Mavis; the result of our bet won't come into play until the results of Nationals."

Mavis just stood and slapped him. Her other hand was balled into a fist that was shaking while Zeref sat there in a daze. He turned to her with a hurt expression. Mavis was hardly swayed, feeling that the slap was seven years overdue. "Next time you want to steal the idea of having individual bands working together, don't act so arrogant about it, spriggan."

That last word was probably going to cut the deepest, but she stopped caring as she stomped away to rejoin her band. The worst part was that she knew he was right; they, as they were, stood no chance against the Balam Demons. It hurt her deeply to know that, to the point that she was hardly listening to the results. The dejected sighs of her students told her enough. It was all the more confirmed when she got the placement list and saw the only results that mattered:

1st Balam Demons

12th Magnolia High

To her, it simply said, Zeref: 1, Mavis: 0. And after returning home in a depressing haze, bidding farewell to her students and vowing to do better next time, Mavis resisted the urge to scream.

Instead, she opted for a drink, wanting to forget about anything associated with Zeref.

She had no idea how impossible that was.

* * *

 **Author's Note: So, the conflict has officially begun and we're barreling (already? !) towards the conclusion! A couple notes about this chapter. 1) Mavis is still very much in love with Zeref, but hates the way he's acting along with her own cowardice. Zeref is, of course, trying to win her back but with little success given his social ineptitude. 2) Redfox and Lockser. Of course, they're ancestors of Gajeel and Juvia, or at least tangentially related. The reason they were on the football team is because that's supposed to be analogous to Blue Skull, which essentially became Phantom Lord. That's all I have note wise. So, until the next chapter, please Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hrmm…What to say? Not much, I guess, but I think you'll all enjoy the progression of this chapter as we head into what could arguably be called the climax. Now! Together! Chapter 11!**

* * *

Chapter 11

"She's been sitting there for hours," called a voice over the din of the bar. Mavis hiccupped a little, turning her head to see that Warrod had arrived and was talking to the bartender. Shrugging to herself, the blonde downed another shot of whiskey. In that time, her fellow teacher closed the distance between them.

"All right, Mavis. Time to get up and go home," he said sternly. Mavis raised her eyebrow; she may have been drunk, but she was hardly impaired. She so desperately wanted to get impaired.

"Nope," she finally answered, popping her "p". "I'm not going home until I forget everything. No more Acnologia; no more stupid Zeref, and no more Magnolia Music Program…what a joke."

"You're drunk," the raven-haired man chastised her. She didn't listen, instead grabbing the new, full bottle of whiskey again and drawing herself to her feet. She was still a head shorter than him.

"Take care, Warrod," she assured him, patting him on the chest before making her way out of the tavern. She didn't take another sip of the whiskey, but she did bang into the doorframe on her way out. It must have been late, considering how quiet the streets were, but Mavis really couldn't care. Her head wasn't silent, replaying that blistering loss over and over again. It hurt.

It hurt to lose. It hurt to not measure up. Worst of all, it hurt that she had lost to her own idea. On top of it, she felt her hand stinging from slapping Zeref. Mavis passed under a streetlight and caught sight of the whiskey bottle. She didn't even like whiskey. With a look of disgust, Mavis chucked the bottle down the street, only to hear something unexpected.

"Well, you've changed your way of saying hello, haven't you?" Mavis' eyes narrowed angrily at the voice. What was _he_ doing in Magnolia? The indignation, combined with the alcohol, made her angrily run at Zeref, only to slip in the puddle of her own making. It was Zeref's hands that caught her, causing a flush to travel up her neck. "I'm surprised that you got drunk."

"Don't…don't talk to me, idea stealer…liar…" she hiccupped out. Maybe she was more impaired than she originally thought. Zeref chuckled, but it sounded more sad than amused. "What are you…doing here?"

"I came to apologize," he admitted. Despite her not asking, Zeref took her hand and began to lead her along. She didn't protest; their hands still fit so nicely together. "I promised I wouldn't steal your idea and then I did, anyway. It's like a cycle I just can't seem to break. I just keep hurting you."

"I'm used to it," Mavis slurred out. Her mind was collapsing a little from the effect of the alcohol, but she still had enough presence to feel the grass of South Gate Park underneath her feet. "You warned me, after all…"

"I shut myself off," Zeref told her, still holding her hand. "You were the first person to get close to me, and once you did, I just lashed out and hurt you…"

"It was my fault," Mavis said, surprising herself. Her foot got caught on a root of some sort and she tumbled to the ground, dragging Zeref along with her. The ground met her back and she found herself staring up at the canopy of stars above, noticing the little shapes of the constellations. "I didn't have the _experience_ in dealing with men back then. Probably could have avoided being hurt…Same reason I lost today."

"Mavis," Zeref sighed out. The way he said it was so tender that it brought her right back to that library where they had almost shared their first kiss. It was the same voice she had fallen in love with. "I _never_ meant to hurt you. If there is one regret in my life, it's that I did."

"Yeah…" Mavis scoffed. Oh, she so wanted to believe in the apology…but she couldn't. He would just hurt her again, and they'd be even worse off.

"You were the best thing, the best person in my entire life," he insisted. "You changed my world."

"And you changed mine, before ripping it to pieces!" Mavis suddenly snapped. She was gone, now. The bulwark on all her feelings had loosened, and she couldn't stop the trickle from coming through. "Oh, don't worry, you didn't mean to…Then, why? Why did you lie, Zeref? Was it some sick satisfaction? Did you enjoy toying around with someone who fell in love with you?"

"None of that," he said, but she was truly past the point of caring about his excuses. "Mavis, I lied because I hated who I was. Because if you knew me, who I was, then you'd never-"

"Oh, right," Mavis cut him off sarcastically. "Liar. That's what you are. Every word is a lie. Every word. Because…if you meant any of it…you would…have come back…to me…"

Her words trailed off and Mavis felt her head slump on the ground, and her vision met a void of black. It came as a relief, or at least, that was what she believed when her thoughts had finally pieced themselves back together the following morning. First, she had to deal with a wicked hangover. Once she had recovered from that, however (after vowing to never do it again), she finally had her brain catch up with what she was seeing…and after having the relief of her brain actually being turned off for a night, it took a while to get started again. When it did, she noticed she was back at home, in her bathroom. That was _not_ where she last remembered herself.

"Morning," Zera greeted her, a mug of coffee extended. From her place on the floor, Mavis gratefully accepted the cup as she pieced together the events of last night. Only one part was missing.

"What happened last night?" she croaked out.

"If you mean before you got here, then I have no idea," Zera answered as she leaned against the door. "But you were as drunk as a skunk when Zeref brought you home."

"He did?" she asked in surprise. Zera nodded, though her face conveyed that she could hardly believe it as well. "Did he say anything?"

"Not really," she responded. "He really just said you passed out in South Gate Park."

For some reason, that disappointed Mavis, but she washed the distressing thought away with a sip of coffee. The message delivered, Zera made to leave, but turned back a moment before she did so.

"Oh, he also said, he looks forward to the next competition, and he's sorry."

And with that, Mavis had to wonder why Zeref had even come to Magnolia in the first place.

* * *

By the time Monday rolled around, Mavis was completely recovered from her hangover and ready to put forth yet another effort to win the next competition. Losing wasn't an option this time. Tying her hair into a professional bun, Mavis ended up heading into the office quite early, having left the house shortly after Zera had just woken up. To this effort, the school was pretty much deserted except for the whistling janitor that offered her a smile and a nod.

"Mornin', Miss Vermillion," he greeted as he wiped the floors clean. "You're in awful early today."

"Have to be at the top of my game," she said back, keeping the smile on her face. The janitor stopped and leaned forward on his mop with a concerned expression on his face.

"Heard about that competition this weekend. It's a tough break," he said. Mavis hung her head a little. She was less embarrassed with the loss than she was with how she handled it. As a teacher now, it was up to her to set a good example for all of her students, and drinking oneself into a stupor was not the way to do it. "I always liked the band performances, even while you were still in high school. Anything I could do to help?"

"Not unless you can turn back time or make the school board listen to reason," Mavis admitted sadly. She began heading towards the band room now, her keys jangling. The janitor followed.

"Can't do that," he expressed and Mavis caught sight of him scratching the back of his head. "I'm just in charge of school and lawn maintenance."

"That's okay. It helps to have somebody to talk to." She flashed another smile at him, which he returned, before she slid her key into the lock and opened the door to the band room. The first thing she did was flick the lights on and she caught sight of the marred duct tape plastered all over the ground. It was just another reminder of her failure that weekend, and of the hurdle that she knew she had to overcome. Her lips twisted into a frown with a mighty sigh. "Actually, maybe you can help me."

"Name it, Miss Vermillion," the janitor said with a curious expression.

"Do you know of any place the size of a football field that would be open for us to practice?"

The janitor blinked a little, like he was surprised at the inquiry. "Sure do. The backfields beyond the trees. Big expanse of land there that is owned directly by the school. Principal has me keep it mowed and trimmed."

"Thank you!" Mavis cheered exuberantly. Forgetting herself for a moment, Mavis bounced over to the janitor and hugged him, before planting a kiss on his whiskery cheek. He, for his part, stood there dumbstruck as Mavis practically skipped into the band room and her office. None of it was a done deal yet, but Mavis felt that she finally had a chance here of getting improved results. She set her bag down and immediately grabbed her phone off her desk. "Yes, I'd like to request a meeting with President Theme and the rest of the board."

The woman on the other end tried to argue as to how busy the board president and the rest of the members were. Mavis wasn't taking "no" for an answer, though. Before long, the woman relented, checked the schedule and set an impromptu board meeting between them in the teacher's room during lunch. Feeling like she already had the upper hand by forcing them to agree to the meeting in the first place, Mavis set about outlining the points she would use to finally sell the board on what needed to be done. Of course, it didn't mean that she forgot about her students, and she still proceeded to make the rounds of greeting the students and asking how the rest of their weekend went. Come lunchtime, however, she made sure to post a sign on the band room doors to indicate that she would be away.

Before long, she was standing before the board once again, which still included an almost overtly hostile Acnologia compared to normal.

"Miss Vermillion, we've obliged in meeting with you," the board president began, clearly suppressing a yawn. "Can you please make your intentions for doing so brief so that we may get back to our work?"

"Of course," Mavis began. She held her sheet of paper in front of her, but quickly found that she didn't need it. "As you're all likely well aware, the band program finished twelfth this weekend, a position that I think none of us want."

"Please get to the point," President Theme said with agitation. It became very obvious that the fat and lazy man had no intentions of wanting to actually hear her out.

"The reason for such a low placement, I believe, is that the music program had been unable to have proper practices in order to prepare for the competitions. Before, you asked me to give it a try and see how well I did. That time has passed, and now I know that we cannot make Nationals if we don't have the use of an actual practice field."

"You're suggesting we hand the football field over for your practice _now_ , when the football team needs only two more wins to reach the playoffs."

"The idea is absurd," Acnologia scoffed out lazily. Mavis waited for all of the concerned muttering to finish before she could begin to make her counterpoint.

"Your points are noted," she finally began when she had the floor, "but that's why I've come up with a strategy that will benefit all of us. I mean, first let's forget the issue that the football team is no longer at odds with the band program. Beyond that, I'm not asking for the football team to abandon their practices. Quite the opposite: we have simultaneous practice. I propose the band program is allowed use of the backfield for practices."

Her simple suggestion ignited a fierce debate amongst the board members that continued on for a good five minutes until, at last, the principal spoke words of wisdom that shut them all up. "Why not? It _is_ still a school program, and wouldn't we rather have two successful programs as opposed to one?"

"Very well," the president grumbled out after a moment's silence. "You and the band program are approved the sole use of the backfield. We look forward to results."

"Thank you very much." The debate settled in Mavis' favor, the board members all went their separate ways. As a pat on the back to herself, Mavis left for the cafeteria to treat herself to some fries. When she returned to her office, it was to find Acnologia outside it. Mavis steeled herself for the confrontation.

"Just what do you think you're playing at, Vermillion?"

"I'm not 'playing' at anything," Mavis said testily. She pushed the doors to her office open and stepped inside, making sure to place her fries somewhere far away, along with her briefcase. Acnologia, unsurprisingly, followed her in. "I'm simply trying to win and make it to Nationals."

"Why? So you can impress your little boyfriend?" Acnologia snarled out. Mavis looked up at him curiously; not that Zeref was her boyfriend, but what did he have to do with any of this? "Oh, you think I didn't know you're in contact with him?"

"I can honestly say I didn't care," she said with a shrug. "In any case, Zeref and I are rivals, not a couple. So, of course I've seen him when we compete in the same competitions. To think anything different…"

"You haven't answered my question, Vermillion," Acnologia said with a sneer twisting at his lips. "Why are you trying so desperately to win?"

It was quite the loaded question, that could have had any number of answers. Mavis tapped her chin in thought as she walked around the edge of her desk in order to stand directly in front of Acnologia. There were many reasons that she wanted to win, and sure, Zeref was one of them. However, there was also a far more burning exigence. Mavis looked upwards, sharply into Acnologia's eyes, her own burning with fire and her mouth set into a thin line that belied determination. "To prove that we can. For my students."

"How altruistic of you," Acnologia once more said in a sneer.

"It's hardly altruistic," she snapped back at him. "For too long, our band has been the butt of jokes, but I'm going to make sure that this year changes all of that. Call it a selfish indulgence if you will, but we _will_ win, and I won't let anyone stand in my way. Not you, not the board, not even Zeref Dragneel."

Acnologia was silent at her statement, his face not even conveying emotion. After a long while, the vice-principal finally spoke. "Well, someone's certainly fired up."

"Yes, I am!" Mavis said without a moment's hesitation. This was one fight she was absolutely not backing down from in the slightest. "Now, it's my turn for a question: why do you hate the band program so much? Why do you want to see it destroyed so badly?"  
"Do I need a reason?" Acnologia growled out, the faintest of grins on his face.

"Everyone has a reason for why they do things." Acnologia said nothing to that for a moment, though his face continued to perpetuate that wicked grin. Mavis didn't look away as she waited for Acnologia's response. It took a few moments, but he finally did.

"Your kind was a worthless part of my life," he finally responded simply. "Tried to make me something I'm not. Wouldn't anyone want to destroy that?"

Flashing another wicked grin, Acnologia whipped around and began to make his way out of the office. Mavis followed him only as far as the door, the cogs in her brain working furiously to come up with something to say. Only as he was about to leave the band room entirely did she find a question. "Why me, then? What made you choose me?"

"I didn't," the older man chuckled, coming to a stop. "I just knew he'd find his way here eventually, and you happened to ultimately be caught in the crossfire, Of course, _now_ it's personal."

And that was that. Acnologia proceeded to sweep from the band room like a bat out of hell (which, Mavis figured, was probably what he thought the band room was). Once he was gone, Mavis allowed herself a rather liberal sigh. Somehow, she'd come to know a little bit more about the teacher-turned-vice-principal that loved to make her own life a living hell. Yet amidst all that, everything still seemed to come back to Zeref, deepening the mysteries that still surrounded him, dragging her in towards the abyss.

"Stop it, Mavis! No time for this!" she snapped at herself, lightly slapping her face. There could be time to focus on Zeref and whatever feelings were still there for him once she'd won Nationals. Right now, she just had to focus on getting ready for _today's_ practice. Nothing would stop her from doing so. The first step was finding the janitor once again, and she had a pretty good idea of where to do so: the office next to the supply closet. In no time at all, Mavis had reached the dingy office door with the faded nameplate that only read the last name of "Alors" on it, and she knocked.

"Oh, Miss Vermillion," this is quite the surprise," he said after opening the door, leaning on a broom.

"Mr. Alors, I was wondering if I could get your help." He was very clearly listening. In fact, once she had finished her request of mowing the backfield and painting the field lines, he was more than exuberant to help. At least, that was what Mavis thought, considering the way he ran off for the field. It was surprising how much being friends with the janitor could benefit a teacher.

The janitor was a speed demon, though. Literally ten minutes before that final period of the day, he arrived in the office, his overalls painted white, and grass sticking to his shirt, but he was wearing a gleaming smile and a thumbs up. She could have kissed him, but she refrained from doing so. Those final ten minutes were spent cathartically ripping up all of the duct tape on the ground and moving the stands and chairs back into position. Those changes were met with a mixture of surprised gasps, confused mumblings and disconcerted grumbles.

"Put your stuff down and get your instruments," Mavis said to them, quickly grabbing the last of the items that she needed. "We're practicing outside today."

That was met with a very happy cry, and the perky blonde teacher followed her students out of the band room, locking it behind her. Somehow, her students knew exactly where to go, beyond the copse of trees to the most beautiful field that she could have imagined. It was perfectly trimmed, and the lines were crisp white and in perfect proportion. Alors was certainly a master at his craft. She never thought she could have cried tears of joy at the sight of a field, but this one made her do so. Some of her students appeared to notice this, and it spurred them on further. The simple transfer of their practice location was enough to infuse her students with all the zest for their program.

That afternoon, they had put forth not only their best practice but their best performance ever. The following afternoon's just got even better.

Mavis was so wrapped up in the realm of getting her students ready for their next competition, she was surprised at how much she had missed when she met up with her friends at the tavern a week before it. She felt pretty certain she had spent most of that time gasping. Precht had finally begun to submit his dissertation, Zera (to her surprise) had found a boyfriend, and Warrod was just the same as ever. The biggest shocker was how big Rita had gotten.

"We're having a boy! It's so exciting! I'm going to be a father!" Yuri cheered, running around the table like a child, himself. Mavis ignored him and put a hand on Rita's belly.

"When is he due?" she asked the expectant mother.

"November, sometime. Probably right after Nationals for you," Rita told her with a smile. "You'll be there at the birth, right? It's a fresh start for our whole family."

"Of course, I'll be there! I wouldn't miss it for the world." The words Rita had spoken, though, started to get her thinking, and when she was next in her office, she found herself mulling over them. _A fresh start_. Maybe it was time for them to have a fresh start. Before she let her brain stop her fingers, Mavis had picked up the phone and dialed Zeref's office number. He picked up after two rings. "Zeref, are you competing in the contest this weekend?"

"Mavis?" he blurted out, evidently surprised. She was just as surprised at herself. "Uh, no…we're not. We'll be at the Akane Contest, though."

Disappointment filled her for a moment, until she heard he'd be at Akane, and another fire of determination filled her. "Well, then, I guess we'll see each other there."

"Looking forward to it." They both hung up the phone in perfect synchronicity. Pumping her fist a little, Mavis felt herself truly getting fired up for the upcoming contest.

Her students were, too, jabbering excitedly on the buses that weekend. This time, Warrod was able to join her, though he seemed to be more of a moral support than actually doing anything. All their hours of confidence-building practice were finally starting to pay off that weekend. Arriving at the competition this time wasn't nearly as nerve wracking or disheartening as it was last time. This time, she was more than ready to take on all of them, along with her students.

It must have been immediately noticeable to anyone watching, too. Their movements were more fluid, though there were still some movements here and there that she would have liked to fix. The biggest issue seemed to be the drum majors. The band didn't follow them nearly as well as she would have liked. Probably stemmed from the fact that here, the drum majors were quite visible, while at practice there was no scaffolding and thus no ability for anyone but those in front to actually watch the drum majors. Mavis had a feeling they'd probably take a hit for that, but with Warrod cheering them on, she didn't really let it bother her. Her students chattered excitedly following their performance, all of them obviously hoping for the best possible result. That alone made the groan that followed the rankings all the louder:

6th Magnolia High

Mavis practically cringed at the result. They were close. So close…She could practically taste that acceptance into Nationals at this rate. Judging from the students' reactions on the bus ride home, they were all feeling very much the same. Mavis already knew one way to help them boost their ranking was by getting the scaffolding, but almost everything else about the show was approaching flawless. All she felt she had to do was keep her emotions in check around Zeref two weeks from then.

"Miss Vermillion, we're so close!" Miko expressed imploringly. "How can we break that ranking at the next competition?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but you can ensure that I'll be thinking about it," Mavis answered thoughtfully.

"Why don't we have some after-school practices?" a boy suggested. "I mean, I'm up for it if everyone else is."

"We're one spot away from Nationals," cried someone else. "What's a couple hours after school to nab that?"

This general consensus filtered around and through the band in mere minutes. A grin stretched all of Mavis' features; her students really were the best. By the end of the trip, it had been decided that they would practice Mondays and Wednesdays after school. More than that, the guilds seemed to decide on their own personal practice sessions. All of these efforts, combined with the scaffolding that Mr. Alors had set up for them, saw a marked improvement that even Mavis didn't expect.

Not to say that she didn't encounter obstacles or complications. One time, a gym class decided to occupy the field for a game of touch football, and a lot of the teachers seemed almost hell-bent on piling homework specifically onto her students. The worst was walking in one day and finding the band room trashed. Mavis didn't want to point blame at anyone, but from the way Redfox and his fellow volunteers in cleaning up were saying sorry, she was almost certain about who had pushed them into it. As if she didn't have enough trepidation going forward.

Said trepidation increased a couple days before the Akane Contest, when Mavis received the list of participating bands at lunchtime. Everyone there, from her students to the football kids to Mr. Alors, himself, seemed interested in the list. That heaped on the pressure. Sitting on the paper was a very long list of band names, almost like every single on in the country was taking part. In other words, Mavis knew the score: the Akane Contest was like a preliminary for Nationals.

"I'm sure you guys will slay this weekend, Miss Vermillion," Redfox assured her. Hearing it from someone who wasn't a band student assuaged her fears and emboldened her.

When the weekend finally arrived, Mavis and the rest of her students faced the beautiful Akane Contest with absolute determination. It probably helped that they had arrived the night prior and were given the chance to relax. A natural result of this was that Mavis ran into Zeref on the beach.

"You look different," he said to her after she agreed to take a walk with him. Goodness knew why she did. "More determined than the last time."

"I am," she said confidently. "I plan to win and make it to Nationals. Just watch."

"All right," he said, though he couldn't stop the smirk on his lips. "Then we'll watch together."

And that was how Mavis found herself on some sort of pseudo-date with Zeref the next day. Granted, she spent all of the early hours with her own band, as they were set to perform that morning, but once she watched her band perform at the most dazzling level they ever had before, she headed to the bleachers. The Balam Demons performed shortly after, and they looked just as good as ever, though she felt they had closed the skill gap. After that, Zeref joined her, and they spent the rest of the day watching the other bands perform, commenting on them. Sure, she was still angry at Zeref for his lies and foot-in-mouth moments, but the connection was still there. They were rivals, but friends. Enemies, but with too many similarities to outright ignore.

"I've enjoyed this…" Zeref admitted while the judges were conferring.

"I did, too," she replied. "I love all the others, but they're not as willing to discuss the intricacies of marching band performances. Not that this changes anything. We're still enemies."

"Never thought otherwise," he chuckled out. Soon after, Mavis departed to join up with her students, preferring to stand by as they got the results. Blood was rushing to her head, obscuring and drowning out all sounds as she clasped her hands, hoping beyond hope. In the end, all she saw was the final scoreboard.

1st Balam Demons

2nd Sylph Labyrinth Academy

3rd Crocus Institute of Music

4th Legionnaire Marching Band

5th Magnolia High

The top result was, unfortunately, inevitable, but Mavis positively felt her heart stop at the sight of the fifth place listing. One second she was swallowing, almost unable to believe her eyes. Then she was practically pulled under by her students, who had piled into a massive grouping filled with laughing and crying. They had done it! They had done what no one else in Magnolia High history had been able to do. The Magnolia Music Program had made it to Nationals, and they couldn't be happier.

"You all did a great job, but here's where the real battle starts," Mavis impressed on each of them. The students all listened to her raptly. "When we start up again on Monday, we'll make our show perfect by Nationals."

"Yeah!" came the general cry. She then left them to do whatever they needed, and she decided to celebrate her own little victory by getting a luscious piece of cheesecake at an impressive restaurant, complete with a dance floor. Considering it was the only place to get said cheesecake, Mavis settled for it. The prize was very well worth it. Spinning around on her stool, she caught sight of some of her students on the dance floor before seeing that Zeref had just walked through the entrance. Throwing all sense of caution to the wind, Mavis waved him over.

"You look happy, now," he commented. Mavis twirled around a little bit, landing with her feet on the ground, to indicate that he was right. "Congratulations."

"Thanks. I'll be taking _your_ band down at Nationals," Mavis said, poking his chest playfully. She certainly didn't expect what happened next. Zeref grabbed her hand and pulled her close, putting his other hand on her hip. Her breath caught as she looked up at him and he smiled. She could tell he was asking permission, and as Mavis was definitely in no state to decline, Zeref swept them both onto the dance floor.

"Mavis, you still love music, right?" he asked after a moment. Mavis relaxed in his arms and decided that there was no use in being scared about dancing with him…if one could call swaying in a certain area to be dancing.

"Of course I do…" she whispered. For a moment, she hoped that he hadn't heard. The sad smile on his face more or less dashed that thought. Because it was about more than music…it was about who one would listen to the music with. Mavis didn't want to admit it, which had probably been the reason seeing him again hurt so much. She didn't want to say that she had never moved on. Staring into the pools of his eyes proved that. She had… "Zeref, why did you lie?"  
He didn't answer for a moment, but eventually, instead of breaking away, he just exhaled. "Because I hated myself and who I was before I came to Magnolia."

"What do you mean?"

"My violence, losing Natsu…who cares what kind of prodigy you are if you're just labeled as a troubled youth, you know?" he said. There was no bitterness, but there was resignation in its place. "Magnolia was a fresh start, at least until I met Acnologia, and all of those horrible memories of beating his face in, stabbing his shoulder to prevent Natsu from being recruited; they all came rolling back."

"So, Acnologia was the recruiter for the Black Gods…" Mavis breathed out. Seven years later, and she was still shocked at this new piece of information.

"That's why I lied, Mavis," Zeref said, a trail of tears on his face. "You made me forget. You were a future, not a past. Something I could move forward to, not move back. I lied to protect you from me…and to help me forget everything about who I was."

It made sense, even if the reasoning still didn't stop Mavis from being mad at him. That was one question answered, though. "And why didn't you come back?"

"Because I thought you'd hate me." The song ended, allowing Zeref to bow, kissing the top of her hand before he left. He likely thought he'd only cause more damage by staying.

Mavis watched him go and sighed. Zeref's conclusion could not have been further from the truth. She knew that now. She had fallen in love with Zeref Dragneel, and even after seven years, she hadn't fallen out of it.

* * *

 **Author's Note: A shorter chapter, but one no more bereft of content. A lot happened. Mavis and the program are moving onto Nationals, she also realizes why she was so angry at Zeref, and we know quite a bit more about Acnologia in this universe. How this will all play out in the final few chapters is still up for grabs, but I can assure you it should be good. Beyond all of this, I have nothing left to say. Just make sure to drop me a Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	12. Chapter 12

**I have no words to speak here. Thus, I hope that you all enjoy this chapter and all it contains. Chapter 12 begin!**

* * *

Chapter 12

"To Nationals!" Yuri's cheer gave rise to a great cry in the small kitchen belonging to the Dreyars. Warrod and Precht raised their glasses and downed them while Zera ribbed Mavis. "You know we're all going to be there."

"Are you sure?" Mavis asked, leaning over her empty plate. "Nationals are in three weeks and Rita-"

"I'll be fine, Mavis," Rita assured her, placing a comforting hand on her knee. "Besides, it's not like Crocus is void of hospitals. Getting medical care if my water breaks will hardly be difficult."

"If you say so…" Mavis still wasn't entirely sure, but she was also well aware of the defining traits of all of her friends: stubborn to a fault. It was endearing to her.

"Who cares about _that_?" Zera cried out. "Mavis and her program are going to _Nationals_. That's huge for not only her, but the entire town. Can you imagine how much they'll all flip upon finding out? And if she winds up winning…I think the town's cheers may very well level the rest of Fiore."

"I'll drink to that," Warrod said heartily.

"You'll drink to just about anything these days," Precht commented humorously. Warrod just shrugged and drank some more.

Mavis smiled as she watched them. This was the kind of atmosphere she loved. The kind of atmosphere that she wanted to create. That was her attempt with the guild program, and it seemed to be working, with all of the musicians uniting together in a common cause. Watching her friends as they partied and bickered, it seemed as though the image of it all changed before her eyes. Of a great, more marvelous tavern, an elderly man atop a counter who was scolding the kids even as he downed a whole pint. A boy next to him scoffing and calling a trio of brawling boys "idiots". Then there was a redhead scolding the boys and kicking them, while a blonde weakly asked her to stop. None of that made a difference; they were a family.

Mavis didn't claim to see the future, but just looking at that sight, she knew it was the end result of what she wished for. That was enough to make her smile.

"What's going on in that brilliant mind of yours, Mavis?" Rita asked softly. It dredged the blonde back into reality.

"Just…dreaming of the future."

That was enough for her. With all of her friends' well-wishes, and that burning desire to win Nationals, Mavis and Zera returned home, the latter still munching on a cake that Precht, of all people, had made. Deciding to beat her best friend to the punch, Mavis was the first to hop in the shower. As the water and soap washed over her body, Mavis continued thinking back to the events of the day prior. Other than making Nationals and bringing that joy into all her students' eyes, she couldn't help but remember the way Zeref had held her on the dance floor. It had been surprisingly tender, given everything they had been through. Mavis clutched the pouf to her breasts and leaned back against the shower wall.

"I'm in love with him…" she whispered out. Seven years of running from that truth, and now she couldn't deny it. Yet at the same time she couldn't deny how angry she was with him. It was an absolute maze of contradictions; ones that made her chest burn like fire. Washing herself furiously, Mavis tried to ignore the feelings that felt like they were tearing her apart.

It didn't work, and she got into bed with a sigh on her lips.

"Okay…so what now?" she questioned herself. "I can't just tell him…not after everything between us, and certainly not before Nationals. I can't let him get into my head like that."

"Mavis, are you talking to yourself again?" Zera's voice rang out. That prompted Mavis to zip her mouth shut and proceed to internalize her thoughts. Not that they strayed far from Zeref in any respect.

She hadn't told anyone, but being with him felt so natural. Yes, she was able to share a laugh and have a great time with all of her friends…but having fun and feeling natural were two different things. With Zeref, she could babble on about all the things her friends could care less about. The time they spent at the Akane Contest last night was becoming practically a cherished memory for her. For that one moment, she was letting go. Letting go of seven years of pent up frustration. Had Zeref not walked away when he did, she wasn't entirely sure she could have stopped herself from kissing him.

She kind of hated that. She hated that it was so easy to fall back into that. To hear him say things about his past; for her to understand him again. It actually cut a little. Acnologia chose her because of him. Zeref covered up his past because he wanted to look at his future. Yet all it did was remind Mavis of the hurt. They were two people now stuck swimming in their own pasts: Zeref because of his deeds, Mavis because she wouldn't let go. She had tried with those shallow coffee dates and throwing herself into her profession. Deep down, though, she knew she was just lying to herself. Zeref interested her when those others didn't. A future without him was, all too ironically, a very bleak future indeed.

She hated him. But she loved him even more.

It was a conundrum that even her brain couldn't solve. So, she decided not to for the moment. She'd do what she always did and throw herself at work until it was necessary to confront her feelings. Confident of that, Mavis finally turned over and went to sleep.

The very next day did not go as she expected in the least.

Unlike most people, for her, Monday mornings were something to be celebrated. It was another day to be celebrated with her students, especially when nothing was more freeing than music. That was why Mavis was always up early on Mondays, long before a lethargic Zera. That hardly mattered to Mavis, and by the time she left, her infectious attitude had rubbed off on her best friend, making her more chipper. It was hard to not feel happy, knowing they had made it to Nationals. Even if they didn't win it all (though, she hoped they would) it was a grand achievement to even make it this far. Apparently, much of the school saw it the same way, as was apparent when she walked in.

"Congratulations, Miss Vermillion!" Mavis almost dropped her briefcase at the sight of the large colored banner stretching across the entranceway of the school. That wasn't all. There were balloons crowding the area and a big cake that, admittedly, looked uneaten. More than that, the whole thing seemed to have been put together by other, numerous student organizations, from the football team to the Drama Club and even the cheerleaders. Applause scattered around the hallway. Warrod was behind the students, an approving smirk on his face.

Mavis could have cried tears of joy, but instead she began to laugh. Others might have thought her strange for doing so, but Mavis genuinely didn't care. She didn't care that she seemed to be the most popular teacher in school. She didn't care that almost every student was celebrating their admittance into Nationals. The only thing that did matter was that they had made it. One more step, and her dream would become reality.

"Thank you," she said happily, "You're all so wonderful!"

That kind of mood infected the entire school, except for Acnologia, of course (and Mavis hardly counted him). Everywhere she went when making her rounds, people cheered her. It even happened to be the topic of discussion in the teacher's lounge, and she rarely even ventured in there to begin with. A special edition of the school newspaper circulated and the news that Fairy Tactician Mavis Vermillion had led the band to an unprecedented placement in Nationals became common knowledge.

The best was lunch, where their group seemed to turn into an unofficial party. The cake was brought out and almost the entire band (and then some) was there, and it became the best time Mavis had had as a teacher. Streamers were strung everywhere and even Warrod managed to pop in (though she had a feeling it was just for the cake). They'd only gotten into Nationals, but Mavis was already feeling like she'd won the whole damn thing.

Then the afternoon arrived, and it was time to get down to business. Gone was the party mood, replaced by a band that was determined to win. Playtime was over. Nationals were upon them, and Mavis was going to make sure that they won it all. With all that in mind, she led her students to the field like the tactician she was.

"Okay, let's work on tightening up the movements," Mavis explained. "Learn to read your bandmates. If they snap their head, you snap it, too. Synchronicity is the name of the game. _That's_ what will win us Nationals. Drum majors, from the top!"

With a clap of Mavis' hands, as if she were a metronome, the drum majors raised their hands and began counting off. From her own placement on a scaffold, the blonde watched her band move through the first movement of the song with ease. There seemed to be no notable changes that needed to be made. As the band stepped off into their second movement, something caught Mavis' eyes elsewhere: motion. Turning her head, she noticed three figures approaching the field, one of whom was the principal. It was an odd sight, and one that forced her to end her band rehearsal. She quickly descended the scaffold and approached. As Mavis drew closer, she could see that the other two were board members.

"Principal, what's going on?" Mavis asked with a questioning smile. He didn't smile back, nor did the two board members. "You never come to see our practices."

"Practice is canceled," the principal said, though it hardly sounded like he wanted to say it at all. Mavis grew suspicious and gave off a light scoff.

"Canceled? There's only three weeks left before Nationals," Mavis reminded him. He looked away, as if in remorse. Now, Mavis was worried. He had never acted like this with her before.

"It's out of my hands, Miss Vermillion." Now she _knew_ something was very off about all of this. He refused to meet her eyes and the two board members stepped forward, grasping her arms. The students all gave an outcry at that, but all Mavis did was struggle out of their hold.

"Excuse me! I am teacher. Is there a reason you're manhandling me?"

"You've been requested for an impromptu board meeting," one of the men said, sounding like a bored drone.

"Please, no resisting," the other finished up.

"No resisting? Principal, what's going on here?" Mavis must have sounded desperate now, but with the principal's refusal to answer, her students only grew more so.

"Hey, let her go!"

"What are you doing with Miss Vermillion?"

"Nationals are coming up, dickheads. Pick a better time to abduct Miss Vermillion."

"Everyone, calm down, please," Mavis sounded out. Her students quieted down, all staring at her with varying looks of incredulity. "I'm sure it's nothing. Drum majors, if you could run it from the top once and then pack up. I'll see you all later."

Murmurs continued after her statement, but she continued smiling and turned towards the principal. Offering yet another smile, she walked forward lightly. The other two men followed after her. Mavis kept her ears pricked, waiting for the sounds of the opening notes, and was relieved to hear them as they broke through the copse of trees. That worry subsided, her thoughts turned towards what the board could possibly be wanting her for. Judging from the facial expressions on Doom and Gloom, she knew it wasn't to congratulate her. Add to that the principal's general countenance and her heart was sinking by the second.

Mavis was led into the school and through the halls, flashing by the students in their classrooms until she reached the larger room used for board meetings. Now the others began to precede her, walking to spots on the long table that seated the board members. Mavis swallowed and stepped forward, feeling the wave of depression setting into her bones. Not a single smiling face was set there, except for one. Acnologia was smiling at her, grinning sadistically as Mavis took the stand. President Theme appeared to slam a gavel down.

"Miss Vermillion, you have been called in front of a board of review-"

"What? !" she screeched, unable to comprehend what was going on here.

"No interruptions, please," called out another board member. Mavis noticed his hands were twitching.

"As I was saying," the president continued, "you have been called in front of a board of review in regards to recent actions and allegations made."

"Allegations?" Mavis questioned, blinking furiously. "What allegations?"

Theme didn't say anything at first, holding a piece of paper up. "Allegations include misuse of school funds, coercion, defacing school property, illicit co-worker relations, and fraternizing with teachers from other schools. Is there anything you wish to say to defend yourself, Miss Vermillion?"  
Mavis was flabbergasted, and her mouth was almost hanging open. Her eyes slid over to Acnologia. He had set this up, just to bring her down before Nationals. It was deplorable, but she wouldn't let him win. "Those allegations are false!"

"Do elaborate, Miss Vermillion," Acnologia voiced with his feral grin. "Didn't you use school money to hold a Music Camp in Crocus, of all places?"

"Yes, and it was all well within budget," Mavis argued. "I checked the numbers and they tracked. I'm still under budget and the marching season's almost over. I'd hardly call that a 'misuse'."

"All fine. Then what of the charges of coercion? Did you not force this board to grant you practice field usage under the threat of school prosperity?" the president asked. Mavis' mouth now did drop open; is that what they were doing? Was that how they viewed it? Were they taking any situation and twisting it? "Did you not place duct tape on the floor of the band room without permission?"

"I…" Mavis' hands balled into fists, gripping her blouse tightly. "I did no such things. I presented an opportunity for the school to have unmitigated success. And there's nothing in the school code about duct tape on the floor. Just the other day, Mr. Olietta's woodcarving class accidentally gouged the floor, but I don't see you calling _him_ before the board. Besides, I only did such a thing because I wasn't allowed use of the field."

"That's not how this board sees it," Theme coughed out. What had Acnologia done? Did he pull the strings on all of them? "It would seem, to me, that you vindictively defaced school property upon not getting what you wanted. And those aren't the worst. Is it not true that you kissed the janitor, Mr. Alors, in the hallways? Are you two in a sexual relationship?"

"On the cheek!" Mavis yelled exasperatedly. "He was just helping out. And how did you know that? No one was-"

"And is it not true that you have fraternized with a Mr. Dragneel from Tartaros Academy, even going so far as to have him _teach_ students from _this_ school?"

The question silenced Mavis. The nail in her coffin was driven in like a stake. Trembling a little, Mavis tried her best to address the allegation. "Mr. Dragneel and I are professionals. While our schools are only rivals, we did not share any-"

"And the Balam Demons being similar to your guild system? Is that by chance?" Acnologia asked.

"That was a result of one of our volunteers making a poor decision."

"So, you're saying that you don't even make all your decisions?" Theme grumbled out. "I'm sorry, this has gone far enough. You've heard both sides of the argument. All those in favor of suspension?"

Mavis' eyes widened, and not a single sound issued forth. No thoughts were forming in her brain, either. All she could do was watch as every hand in the room, even the principal's, rose up. Some were shakier than others, but the vote was altogether unanimous. "No, you can't! Nationals are in three weeks! My students need time to-"

"We've heard enough, Miss Vermillion," Theme boomed out angrily. "You are hereby suspended until a board of review will revisit your circumstances in one month. Until that time, you are banned from teaching your class, or accompanying them to school-funded events."

With the slam of his gavel, Mavis' entire world, her entire being, shattered.

She couldn't even remember whatever happened next. Her body had gone numb and her eyes just gave off a blank stare at a white wall. People may have been talking to her, or maybe it was all just voices inside her own head. Whatever it was, Mavis felt like she was about to pass out. _Suspended._ And for what? For trying to make her program the best it could be without assistance from the one group that should have given it?

She only came back into sentience when she saw the form of Acnologia coming by with a grin. Not even able to muster the ability to make a fist, Mavis could only ask a question. "Why?"  
Acnologia paused, that feral grin still present. "Just because I could. You're nothing more than an insect to me, Vermillion, so I wanted to crush you like one."

"What did I do to deserve this?" she squeaked out. He never dropped the grin.

"You almost won," he answered. Mavis was barely aware of him pulling close, only noticing when she smelled his breath on her face. "I hate your kind. The only reason I was ever forced into a band was because of Dragneel. The only reason my team didn't win was because of you. So, the easiest way to hurt Dragneel is to hurt you. To pay him back for my arm and the hell we had to enjoy together."

"That's just…wrong," Mavis gasped out, still not fully understanding him.

"Maybe, but believe it or not, I enjoyed my life in the Black Gods, and I know Zeref told you about that," he said, pointing at her viciously. "May have been a violent life, but I got everything a kid could want. I got to drive a car when I was only ten, instill some fear by eleven, rolling in cash by twelve. Dragneel's pathetic attempt to save his brother cost me all that. Sure, I'm on the side of the law now, but I still remember Black Gods' Number One: You get wounded, crush the ones who wounded you."

With that, he pulled away and walked off, leaving Mavis as still a mess as ever. So, she had been a target from the moment that Zeref had drawn close. Of course she had. Because everything came back to him. Her heartbreak. Her love. Her success. Her drive. Now it was this…It was _always_ Zeref, coming in and messing up her life. Finally, she was able to ball her fists.

"Mavis?" Her fists unclenched at the sight of the principal. He reached forward and put a hand on her shoulder, but she flinched at it. He recoiled. "I'm sorry, Mavis, but some of us didn't have a choice."

"Right…" she scoffed out, though still attempted to make it all sound as sweet as possible. Somehow, it wasn't easy to believe anything that anyone said. They had all voted unanimously for her suspension, with nary a chance to defend herself. Months of hard work at building a successful program, building her students up, getting them to Nationals were all down the drain with a single raise of hands.

"Do you need a few minutes? To gather your things?" the principal asked. "I've asked the security guards to let you leave on your own terms. It's not as though you're a criminal."

"Yes. Thank you." Her voice was so robotic, Mavis found it a wonder that she was even able to speak at all. "Who will be taking my post?"

"A substitute, presumably. I'll need to work the details out," he answered solemnly. Mavis stopped listening after hearing the word "substitute". It was over. Any chance of winning Nationals was now gone. Walking like the living dead, Mavis shambled from the room, through the empty halls. How had this happened? How had it all gone so wrong, so fast?

 _Zeref_ , was the easy thought. _Because it was always Zeref._

"Miss Vermillion, what happened?" was the first thing that she heard the moment that she stepped into the band room. All of her students were back inside, looking at her eagerly. She couldn't even offer them a response, other than a rather wan smile. That alone seemed enough to silence them as she trudged into her office and grabbed her briefcase, along with a few items on her desk. Then she closed the door and locked it, making her way back out, only to pause at the door.

"I want you all to keep practicing hard," she told them, choking back the tears that were forming. "I wish you all good luck at Nationals, and I'll see you in a month."

"Wait! What are you talking-" She couldn't listen anymore, leaving the band room and shutting the door behind her. The principal was waiting outside. Mavis pursed her lips and then dropped her keys into his hand with a clanging finality. Heaving in a breath, Mavis turned and left the school at a brisk pace, not wanting to encounter anyone else, student or faculty. That pushed her onward, breaking into the entrance courtyard. On the way to the road, she kicked off her shoes and began to run, all the way back home where she collapsed in the doorway. Zera was still at the shop.

Mavis didn't know how long she was sitting there, unseeing, before she heard the phone ring loudly from the kitchen. Dragging herself lethargically up, she shuffled along to grab the phone before the final ring. She was unable to say anything into the receiver, however. The other person didn't have that problem.

"Mavis, what's going on?" came the cool voice of Zeref and she winced. "One of your students called me and-"

Mavis quietly jammed the phone back on the receiver. She didn't want to hear his voice. His victory. His apologies. His confessions. None of it. Mavis didn't want to deal with anything. She just wanted to sleep and let this long day be over. The kitchen was already darkening, and Zera wasn't home yet. Mavis chose to not make dinner, but just went to her room and collapsed on her bed.

Then she began to cry, because she couldn't take it anymore. Every raw emotion that had been drummed up by that stupid board decision came pouring out in the tears that fell upon her pillows. Curling up into a ball and giving off a sudden wail, Mavis realized that she was unable to stop. Before she knew, she had cried herself to sleep.

* * *

It took an entire day for Mavis to recover from the news of her suspension. In that time, the phone seemed to ring more often than not, to the point that Zera disconnected it after the tenth time in two hours. Of course, it didn't help that Mavis had gone mute, only passing notes to inform her best friend of what had happened the day prior. Zera's response was predictable.

"Where are they? I'll grab Yuri and we'll punch all of their faces in!" Zera replied upon finding all of this out. "Suspend you? For such ridiculous things? Maybe we should suspend them from a bridge!"

Mavis quickly talked (or wrote) her down from that, even if she knew that the brunette never had any intentions of following through on her threats. Not that any of it mattered; the thought was what counted.

By the second day, Zera was tired of Mavis moping and she flung the covers off her best friend, dragged her out of bed, stripped her down and shoved her in the shower. It may have been a stark return to reality, but Mavis was grateful for the push, and the energy that it infused her with. Once she had gotten dressed, and gotten breakfast, Zera began to drag her off and put her to work at the store. It was mind-numbing and tedious work compared to the last few months, but it at least allowed _something_ to occupy her mind.

When the third day of her suspension arrived, Mavis was already bored and frustrated. As much as she loved Zera, and loved to help her out, she longed to be back at the school with her students. She longed to be preparing them for Nationals. That's what made it such a contradiction when said students came to the shop and Mavis had the bright idea of working in the backroom. That little stunt proved effective the next day, and when the weekend came around, she avoided the store like the plague.

"They all miss you, you know?" Warrod commented over their card game that Saturday. "And practice isn't nearly as good without you."

"Well, it's not like I have much of choice," Mavis spat, setting her card down. "The board made their decision. And with Acnologia on it, I wouldn't be surprised if they chose to terminate me. Maybe I should have gone to work for Zeref."

"Hey, stop that!" Warrod snapped at her. "You are a fantastic teacher, Mavis, and most of the school is very unhappy with the board right now. They'll make sure to prevent your termination."

"Thank you, Warrod, but I'm well aware of the score," Mavis responded, placing a grateful hand on his knee. She knew that most of the board, and especially the president, was in Acnologia's pocket. Those that weren't, he likely used intimidation to get the results that he wanted. Her termination at the end of the month could be all but guaranteed. That was why she had taken to avoiding her students, a practice she kept up the very next day.

If only it had been so simple.

Late Monday afternoon, well after school had let out, Mavis heard the bell jingle to Zera's store. As soon as she saw the ginger locks of Miko, she instantly dove into the backroom while Zera made a noise of complete exasperation. Mavis hardly cared, and she locked the door up, just in time to hear Zera say, "She's in there. Drag her out."

A loud knock on the door came next, followed by Miko shouting, "Miss Vermillion, please come out!"

"Come on, Miss Vermillion! We all miss you!"

"School's not the same without you there!" Mavis was a little surprised at that. Redfox was here, as well, and judging by the collection of voices on the other side, so were his friends. "Look, we know you're suspended, but none of that matters. Fuck the board! You're the best damn teacher this school has ever had, and I don't even take your class. But I've been considering. Watching you, I've been thinkin' of taking up the saxophone, but it wouldn't be worth it if you weren't there to teach me."

" _Please_ , Miss Vermillion." Little tears of joy were in Mavis' eyes, but she still wasn't relenting. Or, she wouldn't have if not for the soft jingle of the door and the appropriately soft voice that followed.

"Mavis, this isn't you," he said and Mavis' body tightened up. "The Mavis I know never gives up. Your students are worried about you. Your friends are worried about you. _I'm_ worried about you. You can't go on giving up before Nationals has even begun. Remember our bet?"

That made Mavis snap. She turned around, unlocked the door and flung it open furiously to come face to face with Zeref, who was looking at her with a serious expression. "Don't you dare!"

"Mavis, I'm just-"

"No! Zeref! Just, no!" she snapped, prodding him in the chest. It pushed him back, and her students scattered a little. "You don't _get_ to be worried about me. You used me-"

"I didn't use you," he sighed out. "I thought we understood and moved past all of this."  
"Don't interrupt!" she yelled. Her face was beet red, and anger was coursing through her veins. Zeref was here, and he was the force behind all of her frustrations and pain in that moment. "You used me, you broke my heart, and then you waltzed back into my life like you never had in the first place. I'm in this mess because of you! You stole my idea, and the board figured it out. Now, I'm on the chopping block from Acnologia, all because of that, while you're all smug in first place. You act like you care, but then your actions cause all of this to happen.

"You're a walking contradiction! That's what you are!" Mavis was on a roll now, and even Zera seemed to be hiding behind her desk. It was very rare for her to lose control like this. "You come into my life, and always piece it together, but then you rip it apart. You lie to me, then you tell the truth. I don't get you! I don't understand why you're here!"

"Zera called me, along with your students," he answered. "They told me what happened, and I thought-"

"That's not what I mean," she growled out. "Why do you keep coming back? Why do you insist on talking to me?"

Mavis' question hung in the air and she could see all of her students and Zera staring at the scene between the two of them with rapt attention. Zeref just stared back into her eyes, the two holding a little contest. Maybe, had she not been so angry, she wouldn't have been so surprised at what he'd said next. Yet he'd said it so calmly, like it was such a fact, that anyone would have been shocked.

"Because I'm in love with you."

"What?" Mavis squeaked out, unable to control her breathing. For the second time in near a week, she was close to hyperventilating. Around her, her students were practically going insane, with the boys' eyes widening while Miko and her friend clapped their hands and cheered. Mavis continued watching Zeref, and noted that he was not impaired or drunk in any way.

He had said it, and he'd meant it. He even seemed to want to say it again.

"I'm in love with you, Mavis Vermillion," he said calmly, his hands shoved into his pockets. "I've been in love with you for the last seven years, but I always seemed to screw things up and make you mad at me. I've no idea of your feelings, but those are mine. To me…you've always been the only one."

"That's so sweet!" Miko's friend gushed. Zera, herself shocked into oblivion, leaned forward.

"Mavis?" she asked, her face as white as a sheet.

"I…I…" Mavis tried to articulate, but couldn't. She didn't know her feelings in that moment. Going from anger to love…she felt like she was drowning. So, she did the only thing a logical person could do. "I need some air."

Before anyone could stop her, Mavis pushed her way past Zeref and out into the street. Out of agitation, she ran her fingers through her hair and briefly checked for cars before beginning to cross the street. _I'm in love with you_. It was the only thing she heard in her head as she walked, so loud that she didn't hear the cur turning; didn't hear it racing down the street without stopping. She barely even felt it hit her body and toss her onto the road. But she did hear, ironically, the only voice that mattered,

She heard Zeref, and he was screaming her name.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Yes, a rather brutal ending. Funnily enough, this wasn't in the initial rough draft of the story. Originally, it was going to be the scene, Mavis runs off, Zera and Warrod find her, leads her back to Zeref and they reconcile. Then I developed this part, and it was wholly needed. You'll see why by the end. Either way, not the happiest chapter for Mavis. For the record, when Mavis is asking him why he's there…well, I'll just say to check Chapter 2. You should find something interesting. That's all I have for now, so please Review, and Dare to Be Silly.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Last chapter was kinda depressing, no? Well, don't worry, because I'm sure this chapter will lift your spirits! Time for Chapter 13!**

* * *

Chapter 13

Her body hurt all over, and she could swear that several of her ribs had cracked. Her head hit the pavement and opened up a nasty gash. More cuts began to bleed out and Mavis felt herself beginning to lose consciousness. Her head was positively swimming, screaming inside. The sound of tires on asphalt squealed inside her head and she coughed. She couldn't move, and it hurt to breathe.

"Mavis!" She knew that voice… "Mavis! Stay here!"

"An ambulance is on its way!"

"Come on, Miss Vermillion! Stay here! You can't go!"

"Did anyone see who did it?" yelled a gruff voice. Even in her addled state, it was enough to tell her that the car had left the scene. A hit-and-run. Just like her parents.

"Hold on, Mavis," said the first voice again, and she felt her head being lifted into someone's lap. "They'll be here soon. It'll be okay.

"Ze…ref…" she croaked out, her vision swimming mercilessly. Before she blanked out, she caught sight of those kind, black eyes, her hand reaching upward to try and cup his face, only for it to fall back down as she slipped out of consciousness. When she next awoke, she felt a rattling beneath her body. Her eyes blinked deliriously for a moment, before the pain returned and she gasped. It wasn't louder than the other voices overhead.

"Luckily no internal bleeding in the cranial area. Some fractured ribs and a slight amount of hemorrhaging-"

"She's awake! Prepare some anesthetic!" a nurse was yelling and Mavis could see the woman above her. In fact, there appeared to be about three of them. Her body hit a sudden bump and was jostled, indicating that she was on a gurney of some sort.

"Prep for surgery! Someone, page Dr. Marvell!"

"You're going to be all right, Miss Vermillion," said another voice, and then Mavis was lost to the oblivion of blackness once again. After that, she didn't feel anything or see anything but that inky black void that seemed to stretch out endlessly. No dreams or visions invaded her mind, yet it was worse than any sleep or hangover. At some point, she saw a bright light and tried to turn away from it, believing it to mean dying…at least until she opened her eyes and realized it was just daylight.

 _Beep…beep…_ The slow cadence of the heart monitor was the first thing to enter into her brain along with the streaming daylight. Her eyes squinted shut against the light and she felt her face contort in pain, like there were bruises all over. Looking up, she noticed that she was in a hospital room, laying against a stack of pillows. She groaned loudly and tried to scoot up on her bed, only to find she couldn't. Something was pinning her legs. Regaining more of her vision, Mavis looked down the length of her body to see Zera draped across her legs, drooling and snoring.

"Zera…" she said groggily, but her best friend had obviously not heard her. To that end, Mavis just gave up on trying to move entirely, turning her head to the side. Next to her bed was a table with numerous baskets and cards littering it. It was hard to tell, but Mavis was sure they were "Get Well Soon" cards, written by her students and fellow faculty members. At least, her memory was intact.

"Looks like someone's awake," an unfamiliar man said. Mavis turned her head back to the room's entrance, catching sight of a doctor there with a long white coat and blue hair. His nametag read "Marvell".

"How…how long?" Mavis groaned in response.

"Just two days," the doctor answered kindly. "You were incredibly lucky, Miss Vermillion. Not many people can get hit by a car and only walk away with some bruises, broken ribs and a concussion. Even the hemorrhaging was so minor that it hardly affected you. I'd imagine it still hurts like hell, though."

"I feel like crap…" she answered with a chuckle. She winced, pain smarting at her chest.

"Yeah, I'd take it easy," Dr. Marvell told her. "You'll be just fine, but we need to run a few more tests. I'd say you'll likely be out before the end of the week. Not without a wheelchair, though. I don't want any extra strain to be put on your body, understand?"

"Yes, sir," Mavis nodded out. Dr. Marvell then walked around the side of the bed and raised it, allowing Mavis to finally sit up, relieved at the new position.

"Good thing your friend and boyfriend have been so diligent at keeping you company." Mavis' head twitched a little at hearing that. Zeref had been here? He was the only one the doctor could have been referring to. "It helps for a patient to have such cherished people nearby. I've already informed your friend about the wheelchair and she seemed very willing to help.  
"Thank you, doctor," Mavis then said with a smile. Dr. Marvell continued to bustle around the room for a moment with a clipboard, and he stopped on the way out.

"Rest up, Miss Vermillion. We'll run the tests tomorrow." Then he was gone, only to be replaced with someone stepping into the room. He stared at her. She stared back at him. Then he smiled.

"You're awake," Zeref said. Mavis was unsure of what to say in response. She did know that seeing him here elicited all the memories of what had taken place before the accident. Her yelling, his confession. It made her freeze up just a little, but from his expression, he didn't look like he wanted to force the conversation. Instead, he turned to Zera and nudged her with one of the coffee cups in his hand. "Hey, she's awake."

"Five min-Mavis!" Zera suddenly screeched. At long last, she removed herself from the blonde's legs. Feeling a sense of freedom, Mavis moved her legs. They still ached a little, but she was glad that she could move them freely. "I'm so glad you're all right, Mavis!"

"Me, too," Mavis expressed and her eyes widened as Zera moved in for a hug. Zeref managed to gingerly hold her back, like a reminder that she was injured. The blonde was grateful for that. However, what she yearned for more were answers. "What exactly happened?"  
"You got hit by a car," Zera answered bluntly.

"Yeah, I know that," she said with a roll of her eyes. "What happened after that?"  
"The car drove off." Zeref was the one to answer this time. She turned to him as he leaned against one of the walls, sipping at his coffee. "I'm not sure if they were scared or if it was road rage or even intentional, but they certainly left in a hurry. The police are looking into it."

"Did anyone catch sight of the car enough to give a description?" Mavis asked. Zera was reaching behind her now, fluffing her pillows, likely as an apology for sleeping on her legs.

"I was the closest," Zeref continued. "Older model, tinted windows. I wasn't able to get a plate, but the police seem rather confident. It helps for there to be a lot of public pressure."  
"Public pressure?"

"Oh, don't be modest, Mavis," Zera snapped, pulling back with a huff. "You're the most popular teacher at the high school, no matter what Acnologia tried to make you out to be. There's a lot of community backing to find the person who hurt you."

"Acnologia, huh?" Zeref noted from his position. Mavis watched his contemplative face for a moment, her own frowning before he sighed loudly. "Anyway, a lot of Magnolia is very involved in this, so I'm sure it'll be no time before they're found. Helps that all your friends are determined."

"Which reminds me," Zera suddenly piped up, "I'm sure the others will want to know that you're up." Offering only a sole look to Zeref, the brunette darted from the room, leaving the two of them alone. To this, Zeref pulled the chair closer to her bed and sat upon it. Only the soft ticking of the clock broke the silence of the room. It was comfortable, but Mavis felt she was done dodging the elephant, even if her chest hurt like hell.

"You're in love with me," she said simply. She looked over to him and he stared right back into her eyes.

"I am," he said with a subtle nod. "I've been in love with you for seven years."

"I…" Mavis clamped her mouth shut. She wanted to say it. She wanted to say everything so badly. But it didn't feel like the right time; not as things stood. Suddenly, she felt Zeref's hand encasing her own.

"I'm not expecting an answer," he stressed. "I've had to live with the results of my actions for the last seven years. You had every right to hate me, and every right to say what you said. I just wanted to tell you, so there's no doubts about _my_ feelings."

"I don't hate you, Zeref," Mavis told him softly. "I hate what you did, but…I…It's just not the right time for…"

"Okay," he whispered under his breath, "You're right. We still have Nationals, don't we? And you're suspended, aren't you?"

"Ugh, thanks for reminding me," Mavis groaned out. "That's one thing I wish I _could_ forget. I have enough with the accident and Nationals…"

"Take it one thing at a time," he said calmly. "Mavis, your students love you. So, never forget that."

"I would never! They're like my family!" Mavis gasped out. Zeref happened to chuckle at this, and it looked like he was making to get up.

"That's something I don't have," he told her. He was now back on his feet, patting her hand lovingly. "Well, it looks like our circumstances have changed. I think I'll be canceling the bet."

"Oh?" was all Mavis could ask, shifting a little in her bed and quirking an eyebrow.

"Seems rather pointless, now," he answered. "I had this thought that I could win, take you somewhere special and then tell you what I wanted to say. That ship has sailed now, and your response…well, I should have expected it. I was just kidding myself."

"Zeref…" Mavis breathed out. His hand brushed against hers, and it was clear that he was making to leave. She couldn't let that happen. She didn't want to give the wrong impression. So, even though it strained her arm a little, she reached forward and gripped his hand, pulling him back. He almost fell on top of her as he spun around, but he didn't, placing both hands on either side of her body. His face was incredibly close, but he didn't look away. "Stay with me. Please?"  
There was a brief second where she didn't know how he'd answer. Then, he smiled and drew back, seating himself on the chair once more. That was his answer: this time, he wasn't leaving. It only emphasized what Mavis knew in her heart, but wouldn't focus on. Not until her situations were over.

The matter with Zeref behind her, Mavis soon found herself stuck in many more visitors. Zera was the first to return, eyeing the both of them with suspicion, but she otherwise struck up a friendly chat about what had happened the few days in the hospital. Yuri was the next to arrive with Rita at home. He seemed overly excited and almost hugged her more than once. Precht also came, thought it was towards the tip end of visiting hours with no news to report about the search for the culprit. At this, Zeref appeared to grow interested and he excused himself with Precht to resume the search. That was enough excitement for Mavis for one day, and she ended up calling it an early night on doctor's orders.

The next day saw a flood of even more visitors. Zera remained with her most of the day while Zeref had expressed his condolences at having to return to teaching. It hardly stopped her students from skipping class to visit her. Even Redfox and Lockser visited with the winning game ball from their most recent game, and two purchased tickets to Nationals, along with the promise to cheer them on. The students weren't alone in their visitation, either; the teachers also sent their well-wishes, along with the students' parents. This was no more pronounced when Warrod appeared.

"The school board's set a date for your suspension meeting," he informed her.

"Have they?" Mavis questioned that Thursday over dinner, popping an apple slice into her mouth. Zera was picking distastefully through her own tray of hospital food as Warrod took a seat next to the bed.

"They've determined the meeting to be held two weeks after Nationals," Warrod told her, clasping his hands lightly in his lap. "Technically, I wasn't supposed to tell you. They were going to wait to serve you the notice."

"Big surprise," Mavis scoffed as she stretched her legs a little. "I have a feeling that the board is on a witch hunt for me. They did just decide on my suspension without a truly proper hearing. How did you find out?"

"You joking?" Warrod asked with a light laugh. Mavis glared at him, afraid he'd go off on another one of his lame "jokes". He didn't. "The whole school is in an uproar over everything. First the most popular teacher gets suspended for a reason that the board won't share…though it's hardly a secret."

"Zera…"

"Not me," the brunette snapped defiantly. "Although, I _may_ have let some details slip to Yuri, and he _may_ have said something, but I can't be held responsible for his actions."

"Point is," Warrod continued with a heavy sigh, "once the students and faculty found out, the whole place was sent into an uproar. Acnologia started avoiding the lunchroom just to save face. There was so much pressure on the board, and they couldn't suspend all of us. So, they announced your hearing date, but it hardly quieted everyone else."

"Looks like you got your wish, Mavis," Zera noted, not-so-secretly dumping her tray into a trash can in the room. "You've rallied the whole entire town behind you. Truthfully, I've heard that since the accident, my shop's been swarmed with well-wishers and livid people because you making Nationals would put Magnolia on the map."

"No, not yet," Mavis answered solemnly. "My dream isn't complete until I've won Nationals. Until the guild system is fully realized. It may not even be able to happen in my lifetime, but-" A light cough sounded out from next to her and Mavis saw Warrod staring at her insistently. She chuckled sheepishly.

"If you ladies can let me finish," he said, now forcing even Zera to look apologetic. "Anyway, with all the voices, the board was pressured into setting a date. Acnologia, naturally, was the one to push for the date being after Nationals, and the board seemed to readily agree. I'm pretty sure they were bribed or blackmailed, and that's no joke."

Mavis nodded. She knew that was the most likely explanation for the moment, but without proof, there was nothing she could do. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, actually, I've been called as a character witness along with Mr. Alors and Zeref," he said with a smirk. "I'm pretty sure they would have dispensed with that part of the process, but public opinion changed that…and the accident. Guess that was a good thing for your career…I'm joking."

Mavis didn't mind at all. In some way, as horrible as she felt, the accident had allowed her to clear her mind. So, in between visitors, she'd taken to perusing the large tomes of the school's bylaws and code, partially to prepare her defense and partially for one other reason. She didn't give anyone her reasons, which led to Zera being rather disgruntled, but she ignored that fact. Not that visitors and reading were the only things she had to contend with. On top of all this were the tests that Dr. Marvell mentioned.

Some were very easy and consisted of stretching her legs, wiggling her toes and all that pretty standard stuff for movement. Truth be told, Mavis enjoyed these particular tests. She liked being able to move again and get out of that horrible bed, even if, for the moment, she could only handle so much of it. Ironically, Zera was far more sick of the hospital food than she was. Still, Mavis was grateful; her best friend stuck by her side the entire time, helping her out beyond just a morale type of thing. The only other one to give her than kind of help was Zeref.

It was almost funny. Now that they'd aired out everything they needed to say to one another, Mavis was very happy to be in his presence. Not so happy that she'd confessed undying love or whatever, but a happiness nonetheless. He was staying here. That was what mattered. It certainly helped during the more grueling tests and the slight physical rehabilitation. Sure. Zera was a comfort, but Zeref was complete support. In those moments, their rivalry didn't mean a thing; only their love, even if neither would admit it aloud anymore.

Finally, on that Sunday morning, Dr. Marvell stood in her room with a smile and declared her free to go at last, much to her friends' jubilation. That was when Mavis turned in her wheelchair to face Zeref.

"Our rivalry resumes now, until Nationals is over," she said with a steely tone. Zeref's eyebrows raised for a moment, but he definitively nodded. He understood what she meant, even if the others didn't.

"Uh, Mavis, you're suspended, right?" Yuri questioned once Zeref had left them. Zera was wheeling her out of the hospital quickly. "How can your rivalry resume?"

"She's probably planning to sneak onto school grounds," Warrod laughed out. "I'm joking."  
"Yeah, well, I don't think Mavis is," Precht noted, clearly catching sight of Mavis' determined expression. It took a beat of Mavis not saying anything before the boys' mouths all fell open in horror. "You really _are_ serious."

"Of course I am," Mavis stated proudly. "I already made all the necessary phone calls, and I've done my research. I may not be allowed to teach my class, but there is nothing to state I cannot be on school grounds observing them. Since you're a teacher Warrod, I figure that you can instruct them."

"Breaking the rules, huh?" Yuri noted with a grin. "I like it. Lead the way."

The others weren't quite so pleased with this particular notion, save Zera, who had been told in advance. Wheeling out of the hospital, there was no one waiting for them, but Mavis viewed that as a good thing. It meant that her plan was in full effect. The hospital wasn't too far away from the school, so Zera seemed to dispense with the driving and just wheeled Mavis all the way over to the school. The dirt road was bumpy along the way, but it was nice to breathe in the fresh air and eat the candy bar that Rita had provided. The grounds were mostly silent, it being a Sunday and all, but Mavis hoped that would all change the moment they broke through the trees.

"Miss Vermillion, welcome back!"

"Yay! Miss Vermillion's here!"

"Let's get down to business and kick some ass!" Mavis grinned at the sight of all her students before her, each with their instruments out and standing in formation. To that, she could have admitted to feeling emotions well up inside her, but both she and her students understood that it wasn't the time for that.

"Remember, I'm just observing," Mavis saw fit to tell them all. "Not much I can do from a wheelchair, after all. So, Yuri, Precht, Zera, if you could please use the scaffold. Warrod, as a faculty advisor for the program, could you please lead them?"

They may not have been Mavis, herself, but everyone there put their best efforts forward and obeyed the four of them as though they were their Fairy Tactician. The passion-filled practice that followed was quite easily one of the best Mavis had ever seen, even if there were some rusty movements on account of not practicing during the weeks. However, with only a week remaining before Nationals, Mavis knew they'd step it up, and they had, in fact, ironed out most of the kinks by the end of that night's practice.

The Monday came, and Yuri picked Mavis up, allowing Zera to run her shop. They headed to the school and straight for the principal's office. Mavis could swear to the secretary dropping the phone upon the sight of her while the principal stared slack-jawed. Yuri stepped forward, dressed in a suit and tie, and grinned.

"Hey, so, I'm here for a substitute teacher position for the Music Program," he said cheekily. The principal blinked. "I've heard you're having a hard time finding someone suitable."

"Well, that's true, but-"

"I can vouch for him, principal. So can Mr. Sequen." Her tone was so insistent that she saw the principal visibly swallow, like he was more intimidated by her and her newfound iciness than whatever threats Acnologia had made.

"Well, then…shall we have an interview?" he finally said with a strain. Yuri smiled again and took his hand in a handshake before the two proceeded inside the principal's office. Mavis remained outside, lazily kicking her legs back and forth. She couldn't wait to be free of this wheelchair…and it sucked she had to be in it through Nationals. After a half hour of waiting, though, Yuri and the principal exited with rather smirking faces. It was a sign that Mavis had succeeded.

Sure enough, the two men bid farewell and Yuri wheeled Mavis off to the band room, the keys to the office jingling in his hands. It felt like a moment of triumph when he parked her inside and sat at her desk with the laziest of cocky grins. Mavis couldn't help but laugh at that; he looked rather comfortable in her chair, almost a little too much. As a substitute, however, Yuri didn't have much to do, himself, until class started near the end of the day. So, Mavis put most of that time to good use. She and Yuri pored over the numerous diagrams and sheets of music, her sharp memory allowing her to fix any sections she wanted to while instructing Yuri on how to handle the changes.

"I can't believe you do all this stuff on your own…" Yuri breathed out at lunch. "Don't you ever want some kind of help for it?"

"Well, I love doing this stuff, after all," Mavis said happily, biting into the sandwich she'd been given. "Though, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have an extra teacher on hand. If the program were to ever grow, I'd love for there to be a teacher for every guild. Are you offering, Yuri?"  
"Sure, if you'll take me," Yuri chuckled out. Knowing that Yuri was so willing to help her out was enough for Mavis, and the both of them had a nice and easy lunch. The afternoon was when it was time to get serious. Her students arrived and greeted her with enthusiasm, though she had to remind them that she was just there to "observe". That clearly didn't matter to them, but they still acted like that's all she was there for, even if Miko helped to wheel her out of the school and over to their practice field.

Right away, Mavis could see how Yuri was extremely adept at proving himself. His commands were easily taken as her commands and the band happened to hang on to his every word. If anything, it told Mavis that most of them wouldn't mind having Yuri for a second teacher. That was a comforting thought. Less comforting was the sight of Acnologia in the middle of practice, striding over to them. Time to make her plan work.

"Well, well, Miss Vermillion, violating the terms of suspension, are we?" he said, shaking his head with a wicked grin. "You had such a promising career…"

"I'm not violating anything," Mavis countered calmly. "Does it really look like I'm teaching from a wheelchair? I'm just observing them practice. Yuri is the one teaching."  
"That's right!" Yuri chimed in, hopping down from the scaffold. Acnologia looked at him with displeasure. "You see, I really needed a job, and I figured that I'm good with older kids. With the music teacher position vacated for a few weeks, I took a chance on it. Unfortunately, I have to look after Mavis for the next week until she can get out of that wheelchair." Yuri explained this all with a laugh. Acnologia wasn't joining him. "My wife's pregnant, Precht is holed up with his advisor, Zera's running the shop and Warrod has his own classes to teach. That stuck her with me."

"And, as you can see, I had no choice but to be dragged out here to observe," Mavis concluded. Acnologia did _not_ look happy, his facial muscles twitching every which way, pulsing with some form of anger. "The principal understood and approved it, so I'm hardly violating any terms. There's nothing in the bylaws preventing me from just sitting here. Feel free to pass that along to the board."

Acnologia's eyes appeared to swivel back and forth between Mavis and Yuri before he was finally forced to make a rather displeased frown. Apparently, he was at a loss for words, because he simply turned around and left the band to themselves. Once she was sure he had gone, Mavis' face split into a smirking grin. She turned to Yuri and offered him a nod. He smirked right back at her and went straight back to his teaching.

From that point on, there was nothing that Acnologia seemed to be able to do except frown, glower, and grimace. He was rather adept at that. It was only that Thursday that Mavis learned of President Theme's absence. Apparently, he had taken vacation to avoid the backlash that had come from her suspension. In other words, Acnologia couldn't even call a board meeting to get her evicted.

It was glorious.

At long last, after hours…no, days in the mosquito infested backfield, dealing with humidity at the start and ending with a rather blistering frost, the Saturday morning of Nationals had arrived. Even if she was to watch from the stands, Mavis still paid a visit to her students outside the school that morning. She wasn't the only one. The school was swarming with students and faculty members, all ready to give their support. More than that, it appeared that the whole town had been set up almost like a parade route to see the buses off. Only the board (barring the principal) wasn't there. Mavis felt they were cowards.

Either way, she got back into Zera's car and the two of them followed the buses to Crocus. Mavis couldn't believe the pit of anticipation in her stomach. This would truly be a moment she would never forget. When she saw the sight of Crocus and the stadium therein teeming with participants and spectators, that anticipation only served to grow, but she didn't let it show. That turned out to be for the best, because her determination washed onto her students, each ready to give the best performance of their lives. In that moment, she only wanted to say one thing:

"Everyone, do the very best you can, and have fun," she stressed and she threw her fist into the air. Her students, Warrod, Zera, Yuri and Precht all joined her in that action.

From there, Mavis and most of her friends headed back for the stands, where a number of the student body, led by Redfox, had become like a personal cheering squad. Mavis quickly bowed and thanked them for their support before taking her seat. Looking across the crowd, she caught sight of a smiling Zeref. Waving a little at him, she caught him nodding back at her. This was the climax of their rivalry.

The band on the field finished their performance and Mavis' ears were pricked when she heard their school's name. The loud cheer rose amongst them in support for the band and they came onto the field. Mavis clasped her hands in practical prayer and she glued her eyes to the field as the drum majors counted off. She followed every movement of feet, every snap of the head, every note. Around her, the supporting students stared in awe, and Mavis had to wonder if they'd earned more prospective students for the program. Either way, her hands refused to unclench until the final note had faded and the band had marched off the field. Then it became a waiting game, until, finally, the announcer was ready to announce the top five that would be competing in the finals.

"Legionnaire Marching Band, Sylph Labyrinth Academy, Balam Demons, Crocus Institute of Music, and Magnolia High will be competing in the finals tomorrow," came the announcement and Mavis breathed in.

"Yes!" Redfox roared. Around her, their school was shaking up the stadium with a cry, but all Mavis could do was steady her breathing. She looked over to where Zeref was and noticed that he had already gone. Mavis took that as her cue to leave.

As she did so, the students congratulated her, and when she reached her band, she saw how jubilant they were, but the spark in their eyes said that they hadn't grown complacent. No words were needed between teacher and students; their unwavering bond spoke to everything. Knowing that, Mavis left them, only stopping when she ran into Zeref at a restaurant.

"Where's your wheelchair?" he asked in amusement. Mavis blinked, and she finally realized that she had been walking this whole time.

"Guess I don't need it," she answered. An oddly comfortable silence passed between the two of them, and it went without words for the two of them to have to dinner together. It wasn't even embarrassing when the waitress remarked on them as a couple. When the meal was finished, and they were leaving, Zeref held his hand out.

"The best of luck. May the best band win," he said. Mavis just leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

"Of course." Having said what needed to be said, they went their separate ways. Despite her overwhelming sense of nervousness, Mavis was able to sleep quite well that night. The next morning, she stood before her steel-faced band and breathed in. "Everyone, you've all put so much work in to make it this far. I love you all very much, and as a teacher, I couldn't be happier. So, let's give this final performance our all. Rely on each other, and believe in each other. Now, let's show the whole country what the Magnolia Music Program is made of!"

"Yeah!"

Feeling confident in her students' determination, Mavis returned to the stands once more as the first band began to perform. Truth be told, she hardly paid attention to most of the other bands. All she really focused on was the performance of the Balam Demons. They were good…but mostly on a technical level. There was something off about them on a miniscule level. That though, however, went out the window the second they were announced.

"For our final performance, welcome Magnolia High and their show, 'The Jade Tale of Tenrou'," the announcer cried to raucous cheers.

Mavis scooted forward. She breathed in. The drum majors began. From that first step; that first swelling note, her heart soared. The song was like a journey: it set off with woodwinds at the beginning before swelling with triumphant brass. Then the lower brass and drums broke through for an ominous feeling that soon turned into the discordant sounds of battle before coming to its own triumphant finish. The song continued with an air of sadness and grief following the battle before coming to a happy, peaceful resting place. As the song played, the band moved in perfect tandem, forming all of their guild symbols, each matching with a part of the song. It all ended with the Fairy Tail symbol that became the magnolia that represented their town.

Never did Mavis think she would ever hear such cheers following a performance of her making. She still didn't allow herself to feel elated, even as her band marched off to a section of the field. The other bands were now making their way back to the field. It took a bit of time, but finally the judges returned and the results were ready to be read.

"Now, for the top three bands in all of Fiore," the announcer called solemnly. "In third place, with a performance befitting a tournament of champions is the Crocus Institute of Music with their performance, 'Let the Games Begin!'. Earning second place, is a performance of mysterious and dark intensity: the Balam Demons' 'Black Wizard'!" Mavis breathed out now. Zeref was second…they now had a one in three chance of winning.

"Come on…" Zera breathed next to her.

"And the winner of Nationals, the top marching band for Fiore this year is…"

Mavis clasped her hands, bowed her head, and did little else than pray for the result that would change history.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Yes, I left you a nice little cliffhanger before we head into the final chapter. Indeed, the next chapter is the last one. It was always planned this way. No, there will not be an epilogue. In any case, obviously, this one had more of Mavis being a tactician and outmaneuvering Acnologia to get her desired result. Also, there's a very strict reason that Mavis didn't confess anything to Zeref. You'll see next chapter why I waited for it…I hope. In any case, until the final chapter, please do Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	14. Chapter 14

**This is the final chapter of MUSICAL MEASURES. Please enjoy, and see you at the bottom!**

* * *

Chapter 14

"And the winner of Nationals, the top marching band for Fiore for this year is…" the announcer seemed to hold his breath in this moment, like it made the whole thing more dramatic. Mavis kept her eyes closed, hoping for the best, but fearing the worst. Zera gripped her. "…The Magnolia High Marching Band!"

A moment passed. Then another moment.

"Mavis…" Zera whispered out tremulously from next to her.

"We…" Mavis breathed out. Her breath utterly catching as her eyes snapped open. Tears trickled down from them and her hands were nearly cutting off her blood flow. "We won…?"

"You won," Zera said, her own tone coming out as one of disbelief. Mavis sucked in a breath, and behind her, the awed silence broke. In its place was a roar that reverberated around the stands. Someone clapped Mavis on the back and she felt her tears fly forward. Her hands lifted up to her face as her lips trembled and soon a teary smile stretched across it.

"We won," she sobbed out. The euphoria inside her was unbelievable. It was a moment that she thought would never happen. Yet here it was. Magnolia High had claimed victory. "We won!"

"Yeah!" Yuri roared out from down below. "Magnolia…is the greatest!" Mavis couldn't help the hiccupping laugh that came from Yuri mercilessly hugging Warrod. He wasn't the only one filled with that sense of jubilation. All over the band, the student had broken down into hugs. Even Zera had hugged Mavis. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Mavis looked up and saw Zeref beaming at her. It was the brightest smile he'd ever worn, and it made Mavis' heart soar.

On the field, someone had approached the band with the trophy for Nationals, handing it off to Warrod, who raised it high with his tall figure. The stadium once more erupted with loud cheers. Mavis stood. She didn't care about her suspension, or who could be watching. None of that mattered. Her feet stomped along the surface of the bleachers until she kicked off her shoes and reached the bottom. Then she dove into her students. They laughed. They cried. They cheered. They reveled in the joy of winning.

Mavis' dream, the same dream she'd once shared with Zeref, had become reality.

Papers all across Fiore began to explode with the news. Though marching band hadn't typically been a very important topic for the papers, this particular National competition changed everything. By that next Monday, the story had been told everywhere. Of how a small-town girl by the name of Mavis Vermillion, a girl with a simple and earnest dream, had achieved the greatest title in all Fiore. They had started out as nothing, just a band playing for peanuts at the football games, yet they had obliterated all other preconceived notions of their programs. They had struggled against endless opposition, and at the end had achieved what they all set out for.

It was that singular win that changed all of Fiore.

Though Mavis had no idea at the time, her struggle and victory resonated across all of Ishgal. Children saw greatness in her and began to pick up instruments of their own to play. Her fight to win, her struggle against all of those factors against her inspired all those musicians in schools across the country to expand their band programs. In time, music would become the definitive competition in Fiore, and Magnolia would be the absolute cream of the crop. None of this was known to Mavis in that moment, however, nor was the fact that her name would be studied in Musical Theory courses around the world. That Monday, she just cared about the board review.

Of course, it had turned into far more than that. Mavis' popularity and win put even more pressure on the board. All too suddenly, they were forced to move the meeting up a few days (not that Mavis was unprepared whatsoever), and open the meeting to the public. Mavis was surprised at how many people were there to watch.

"Are you nervous?" Zeref asked her from his seat. Considering that he had been called as a witness, it was no surprise that he was right next to her. Mavis took his hand, grateful for the support. With Nationals out of the way, she felt more at ease with him.

"Not at all," she answered truthfully. "Everyone's with me."

"Good," he replied with a soft smile. "Acnologia won't win today. I have proof of that."

"You do?" Mavis asked in amusement. Before she knew it, Zeref leaned forward and hugged her. It was probably quite the scandalous sight, but Mavis hugged him back. A loud gavel soon sounded out from President Theme's location, calling the meeting to order like some judge. The two pulled away.

"Mavis, today is the day you'll get closure for everything," Zeref assured her. She had no idea what to make of that, but also no time to ponder it. She stood and approached the podium as the crowd around them quieted down; students, parents, faculty and townspeople alike.

"I now call this board of review to order!" boomed the president's voice. Mavis pursed her lips, but she was unafraid of the meeting. "Miss Vermillion, per the previous board meeting, you have served a month's suspension and we have now been called forward to determine if your actions are cause for termination."

"Which shouldn't be allowed in the first place, but I'll let it slide," Mavis stated confidently. The board members all blinked. Mavis hardly cared about most of them, turning her eyes to Acnologia. He was frowning, but there was still a rather menacing aura about his presence. She knew he was going to try and take her down any way that he could. Mavis wouldn't let him. "This board is required to have evidence before suspending a faculty member. Evidence not based on speculation. But you skipped that step. By all means, let's carry on the meeting."

"Erm…yes…" President Theme garbled out. Acnologia seemed unhappy with the man's messy state of affairs, because he spoke next to take charge of the meeting.

"Miss Vermillion, as you're well aware, you were suspended on charges of threatening, bribery, defacing school property, illicit relations in the workplace, and fraternizing with a rival school," Acnologia said nastily. "As such, you're brought before this hearing to determine if your actions are grounds for termination. Do you have the burden of proof to defend yourself against these allegations?"

"No, but then again, I don't need to," Mavis challenged. Acnologia raised an eyebrow, even as his rather confident smile didn't leave his face. "Per the bylaws, the burden of proof does _not_ rest with the teacher before the board, but rather with the board itself. Unless _you_ can prove I've done anything wrong, I'm innocent."

"Spoken like someone guilty," Acnologia said, his voice coming out like a sinister purring.

"All right, I'll answer your questions and allegations," Mavis stated with a clearing of her throat. "And this time, let my defense be heard, though you hardly have much of a choice. I have not threatened anyone, on this board or otherwise. My negotiations, as you very well know, were for the use of the backfield, something which you refused. I made those negotiations on the basis of bolstering multiple school programs. You believe I was threatening the football team's success? Just call Mr. Redfox or Mr. Lockser. I think they'll tell you otherwise. And defacing school property? Just call Mr. Olietta.

"Moving on, the answer of an illicit affair. I'll leave most of that to the other party supposedly involved, Mr. Alors, but I do wish to say this: the incident in question happened early in the morning when no one else was around," Mavis continued fiercely, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. "I wonder how you happened to know of it. My only answer to that can be the use of cameras…but per the school bylaws, cameras are only allowed at the entrances, front office and cafeteria to avoid privacy issues. Leads me to believe that the board might be involved in some illicit activities of their own."

A loud murmur cascaded around the crowd, prompting President Theme to shakily slam his gavel down. "V-very well, but what of the issue of associating with a rival school. I would think that Mr. Dragneel's presence here alone can prove one of these allegations."

"And if one is true, who's to say that every other one isn't, as well," Acnologia finished. Mavis laughed.

"It's amazing how many board members don't know their own bylaws," she chuckled out. Whatever look of smugness there was on the board's faces, dropped. "I've spent weeks looking over them, so I'll refer you to Article Fifty-Three, Section Eighteen, Line Twenty-Five. 'Magnolia High can collaborate with other schools, so long as the benefit exceeds the risk'. A bunch of other legal jargon follows, but the bottom line is that 'fraternizing with the enemy' is only considered a punishable offense if it is shown to hurt the school. That wasn't, however, the case then, and it certainly isn't now."

"Please elaborate, Miss Vermillion," called a voice from the board. She recognized it as the principal's voice and smiled. She had allies, after all.

"Certainly," she expressed kindly. "Let me begin with honesty: I've known Mr. Dragneel since high school. We dated, and following that, I knew he was the Director of Music at Tartaros Academy. Unfortunately for myself, I didn't have the number of teachers needed to implement what can now be considered the popular and successful guild program. To that end, Zeref came in and helped out. Later down the line, he took the program's base and applied it to his own system.

"This would usually appear to be a poor move on my part. However, in the months following the Balam Demons' first appearance, another band began rising the ranks, eventually making it to a spot in Nationals before this board called for my suspension. Something our school was never able to do, it was now able to do with Zeref's help. Winning Nationals just cemented the benefit outweighing the risk."

"So it would seem…" President Theme grumbled. "Anything else?"

"No, I've made my case," Mavis concluded cheerily. "What about yours?"

At this, Acnologia seemed to lean over and whisper something to the president. "We have no need. The evidence and testimony will speak for itself before the board's position. Let us call our character witnesses."

Mavis nodded and stood down, going back over to her seat to watch. Mostly, it was just an endless parade of faculty and some students, each attributing opinion on Mavis or the program. Even Zera had been surprisingly called forward. She only had to say one thing: "Mavis is the most loyal Magnolia citizen there is, idiots. Stop dragging her name through the mud!"

Following this, they took a break for lunch, with the intention of calling Warrod to the stand when they returned. Mavis wasn't nervous about the results, but she still wasn't interested in eating. Not that she didn't, because her hunger spoke when Zeref arrived with a tray of hot dogs and fries. A memory tickled at Mavis' brain and she smiled. The two ate together in comfortable silence. For all intents and purposes, it was a date without the word. _Just a few more days…_

Then it was over and they put their game faces back on for the meeting.

"Mr. Sequen, you've been a friend of Miss Vermillion awhile, yes?"

"I have," Warrod answered calmly. "Since middle school."

"And can you speak, without bias, as to her character?" Warrod straightened himself on his seat.

"I can," he said sharply. "Mavis Vermillion is a kind person, who has never broken a rule a day in her life. Everything she does is for the good of others. You claim her to be this devil, but what I see is a fairy; a fairy who gave her time and service _twice_ to make this band program better than it was. It's been my immense pleasure to work with her as both her friend and colleague. And if you think that she'd ever do anything to maliciously or intently hurt this school, I'd say you were blind."

Warrod appeared to make that his final statement, brimming with defiance. "Thank you, Mr. Sequen, you can take your seat. Mr. Alors, if you would…"

The crowd watching the proceedings did so silently as Warrod returned to the back of the room and the janitor instead stepped forward. He didn't look nervous in the slightest as the board eyed him like a hawk. In fact, he even had the gall to yawn in front of them. Whether they took affront or not was unclear. Mavis continued to watch. Next to her, Zeref was fiddling with his pager.

"Mr. Alors, what is your relationship with Miss Vermillion?" came the first question.

"Colleagues," the janitor answered easily. "And I'd like to think friends, but that has no bearing on the workplace."

"Are you trying to say that you are _not_ involved romantically with Miss Vermillion?" President Theme grumbled out.

"Not at all!" he continued. "I'm engaged to a very lovely lady in town. I'm just a fan of the band program, and my fiancé is, too. And I like helping out."

"And these accusations of a kiss between the two of you in the hallway?"  
"Little peck on the cheek. Hardly worth writing home about it. I just figured she was excited and went on her own way. No offense meant to Miss Vermillion, but I'm not into women that were attending school here while I was a janitor. That makes me seem sick."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Acnologia growled. With surprising defiance, Alors faced him with a cocksure grin.

"Because I am. You're the one who has to prove otherwise."

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Alors, take a seat!" the president demanded as he slammed his gavel down. Alors bowed a little and retreated. Zeref's pager briefly went off and Mavis heard his name being called. Turning her head, she saw him smirk a little as he stood and approached the stand. "Mr. Dragneel, thank you for coming. I'll put the same question to you: what is your relationship with Miss Vermillion?"

"Complicated," was the succinct answer. "Mavis and I have known each other a long while, so we can't help it if we're forced to associate with one another."

"Forced seems rather unlikely," the president scoffed. "Did you not knowingly and willingly attend Miss Vermillion's Music Camp as a teacher despite your affiliation with another school?"

"I did," Zeref said, still calmly, but with a biting edge to it. "Funnily enough, I looked through both sets of bylaws, and Tartaros Academy has the same set of stipulations as you do, yet I'm not called before my own board, despite losing Nationals."

"That isn't what we're here to discuss."

"Isn't it?" Zeref snapped, his voice raising loudly. "You won't believe Miss Vermillion, as you think her words come from a place of bias or self-protection, but as someone who is both friend and rival to her, I have no clear-cut bias. And since we're here to talk about her suspension, I'm the best to do so, because it's far clearer that _you_ have the bias here."

"Shut up, Zeref," Acnologia muttered, though it was loud enough to be heard around the room. Zeref turned his attentions to the man, wearing a combination of a smirk and a death glare.

"I'm glad you've brought yourself into the conversation, Acnologia. Precht, can you…?" Mavis' attention was pulled away to the sight of her friend bringing a folder over to Zeref. "After perusing your bylaws, I noticed something odd. The board is not allowed to call a suspension meeting without both a unanimous vote and a week's notice. Evidently, the latter wasn't observed. So, I did some digging into the first. My sister, Anna, is married to a well-known banker who told me something rather interesting.

"I didn't know board members were allowed to have offshore accounts, President Theme. I certainly didn't know it was okay to embezzle from your own school."

"P-preposterous!"

"Is it?" Zeref asked. "Your bank statements would say otherwise. The only other statement more telling was Acnologia's. For all your brains, you lack subtlety. Next time you try to bribe people, or hire a private investigator to dig up dirt on people, you may want to consider hiding your transactions better."

With those words, Zeref slammed the file down in front of the men. Theme was shaking, but Acnologia took the time to look through it. "Other than President's Theme embezzlement, this proves nothing."

"Oh, I know. You are somewhat smart, at least enough to put the money into the school, where Theme would then embezzle and handle the rest of the transactions. You keep your hands clean," Zeref snapped. It was one of the few times that Mavis had ever heard him truly angry. "But you played the fool, Acnologia. You forgot how well I know you and your history, and just like when things don't go your way, you make matters violent to ensure they do. When you got forced into the delinquent music program, you had my brother killed. And when Mavis Vermillion was a thorn in your side, you tried to run her over with your car."

"Prove it."

"We did," Zeref said simply, his hands now drumming on his podium. "Older model car…most people in Magnolia can't afford an older car that wouldn't break upon collision with someone. But a priceless car given as a gift…like the one owned by Ankhseram. I had thought that car looked familiar, and now I see you inherited it. The police got a search warrant right away."

"Like that could-"

"It _did_ ," came the insistence. "There were traces of blood. But more than that, when the police were logging it, they found evidence that the car had been used in a previous hit and run."

Mavis' eyes widened. All she needed was that single sentence to set in to realize just what Zeref was referring to. When he turned to her with a sad smile, she knew it. Acnologia stood defiantly. Meanwhile, Mavis stood and stormed over to the older man before slapping him fiercely across the face.

"Miss Vermillion, this behavior-"

"Why?" Mavis asked sharply. "Why do you do nothing but take?"

Acnologia's face began to turn back, a positively nasty scowl written on his features. "Because I was never given."

"That is _no_ reason," she said vehemently. "You're a monster who took my parents from me, tried to take my program from me, and then _my_ life."

" _Your_ parents?" the man growled out, almost like he was confused. Then he began to laugh, making a harsh silence impose itself on the crowd. A door opened in the distance, but Mavis kept her gaze on Acnologia. "Oh, the _irony_! If I knew that the people I'd accidentally killed that day were yours…"

"You don't deny it? You don't even have a shred of remorse?" Mavis seethed out, balling her fists. "You changed the course of my life for little more than a joyride. You took my parents and didn't care."

"Should I have? My life is the only life that matters," Acnologia stated confidently. "Ankhseram taught me that. If you want something in this world, take it. That's why I hated your kind. I was forced to _give_. I couldn't do anything to sate my own desires in a band. It was hell."

"You…" Mavis couldn't find the words. She wanted to slap him again, but then Zeref's hand found her shoulder and she relaxed. She had hated Acnologia, and this hadn't changed that, but now she understood him. Now she could understand her parents' senseless death, even if she had accepted and gotten over it long ago. She had closure, for so many things.

"Don't be so naïve, Vermillion," came his next snarl. "Zeref's just the same. Always taking from those around him. Didn't I warn you?"

"You did," the blonde answered softly. "But there's a difference between you and him: he gives, as well. And that's more important than anything he ever took."

Acnologia leveled a furious glare at her, but it didn't last all that long. Zeref pulled Mavis back as a group of police stepped forward. She remained silent, holding her own gaze with Acnologia's. Then she watched as a pair of handcuffs were slapped on him for bribery and murder. Next went President Theme, arrested on charges of embezzlement. As they were escorted out of the room to a cascade of mutters and murmurs, the president kept insisting he'd give Acnologia up.

"Are you all right, Mavis?" Zeref asked. "It was never my intention to hurt you."

"You didn't. It feels nice…having closure. To finally understand, even if I never searched for it. So, thank you."

Zeref could only smile at her, removing his hand from her shoulder. At this moment, the principal appeared to stand up and grab the gavel off the table, slamming it down. "Well, I think we've seen and heard enough. Those in favor of termination."

Not a single hand was raised. Mavis let her smile shine brightly as the cheer of the people around her rose up. They were so loud that no one heard the principal's next question, though the board (or what was left of it) all raised their hands. Another bang of the gavel sounded. It was over. She had been acquitted, and Acnologia's reign was no more.

* * *

The news made national headlines. All the drama from Mavis' suspension hearing was a fire under the newspaper media. Acnologia's crimes having been brought to light at first seemed like it would ruin the high school, until it turned out that he had forged key credentials to get his position. President Theme had apparently confessed instantly, as well. Naturally, the principal was uninvolved, and was able to detail Acnologia's blackmail.

Still, people feared for Magnolia High when a deeper investigation began. Or they would have, had Mavis not been questioned first. When the school's golden teacher was found off the hook for everything, Magnolia's reputation was safe. More than that, it skyrocketed. Some students from the other schools came to visit with the intention of moving there to be a part of the program. The faculty had prepared a grand celebration for Mavis' return and Yuri said the band had already gotten a ton of invitations to upcoming contests.

Ironically enough, Mavis didn't care about all of that. Other than hiring Yuri after the funds had been returned to where they belonged, Mavis spent her last few days away from the school with her other friends. Zeref, naturally, had to return to his own school, but he promised to be there on her first day back. That was fine by Mavis. Her life was busy enough without him, especially when Rita went into labor that Friday.

"Please tell me she's okay!" Yuri said frantically when he'd run up to them in the hospital.

"She's fine, you dope," Precht said with a roll of his eyes. "She's having a baby, not open heart surgery."

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Yuri, you're about to be a dad, so tighten it up!" Warrod said, the ebony-haired man having driven the expectant father to the hospital. Yuri glared at Warrod, but Mavis sat there, waiting in contentment. While it did take some time, eventually, a nurse came out to greet them with a smile.

"Mr. Dreyar, your son is happy and healthy. Congratulations!" Yuri looked stunned until Precht pushed him forward. He still didn't start to move, so Mavis took his hand and dragged him forward, all the way into the room and over to Rita's side. Then, she stepped back and smiled. Yuri looked positively giddy, as Rita handed their baby boy off to him. Both of them were crying, and Mavis started to as well. She wiped her eyes.

"Mavis, come here," Rita said, kindly waving her over. "Say hello to your godson, Makarov."

"Makarov…" Mavis whispered. She stepped forward and Yuri gingerly passed the baby off to her. He giggled a little as she held him. He was so soft, and so light. It was such a wonderful experience to hold him. Looking down at the smiling face, Mavis felt she held the future; a future she hoped to one day contribute to with Zeref. If there was ever a moment where she knew what the future would ever hold, it was most certainly that moment. Mavis reached a finger out towards baby Makarov and saw him enclose his hand on the finger. "Makarov's such a princely name. I remember a great prince in a story with that name. He was very kind, and above all, a fair leader who never led his people to defeat. I'm sure you'll be raised with the same love and joy as that prince was."

"You know we will," Yuri said emphatically. Mavis didn't look at him, continuing to rock Makarov back and forth.

"Grow up strong, Makarov Dreyar," she said, as tears began to drip from her eyes. "One day, I'll teach you, I'm sure, and then I'll entrust that next generation to you. And on and on, until our family is the largest in the world."

* * *

The remaining few days of Mavis' suspension were mostly spent with the Dreyars after they had returned home from the hospital. Zera had cooed at the sight of Makarov, and despite their evident exhaustion, Yuri and Rita were aglow with the aura that only new parents could have. Even Precht was infected by the mood, babbling away at Makarov.

"Say 'Precht'," the man said, to most of their amusements. "P-re-kt."

"He's two days old," Warrod said tiredly as he pulled the man away. "He's not about to say even 'mama', let alone your weird name."

"So, Mavis, tomorrow's the day?" Yuri asked, moving to wipe Makarov's drool off his chin.

"It is, and I want to thank you all," she said, looking at each of them in turn. "Without your help and your encouragement and your testimony, I'd have never made it here. I just wanted to let you all know how much I love and appreciate you."

"Well, so do we," Precht said, leaning back with arms folded. "As if we'd do all this for just anybody. We're a family. We take care of our own."

"Right," Mavis said with a nod. Warrod let a chuckle out and then swept them all into a mighty hug. Following that was dinner and dessert before Mavis and Zera began to return home with a leisurely stroll. When they did get home, Mavis stopped Zera from enacting her usual habit and pulled her into the living room.

"What's up, Mavis?"

"I just…I wanted to thank you more personally," the blonde answered. "You were there for me, helped me during this entire ordeal, and I can't thank you enough. Without you and Zeref in the hospital, I'm not sure if I would have made it."

"You don't have to thank me, dummy," Zera responded. "I'm your sister. I'll always be there for you. You know that. But…what are you going to say to Zeref?"

It was quite the loaded question, but Mavis had already decided on her answer. She had known for well over a week now, even if she'd never been ready before. "I'm going to say what I need to. That I was wrong."

"Wrong?"

"I thought that I could measure things in numbers and figures. I thought that I could measure a person by a single action. But people aren't numbers or notes on a page. They can do things we don't understand but still be contrary to that nature. You can't measure their worth by a singular moment. Zeref hurt me, but everything with Acnologia reminded me of what he gave me as well.

"People, especially Zeref, aren't as simple as a musical measure. They're complex, and that's what makes Zeref so wonderful. He can't be measured by addition and subtraction, just like I can't. So that's why I need to tell him."

"And what will you tell him?" Zera asked sternly.

"I'll tell him how I feel." That tabled the discussion and filled Mavis with an absolute lightness. Every step she then took towards school helped to solidify that. Of course, all of those thoughts meant very little from the crowd waiting for her at school.

It was very much a whirlwind of a day. From the "welcome back" to the general exuberance, Mavis found herself almost drowning in jubilation. Lunch was the best part, as everything started to become a full-blown party. Without the damper that was Acnologia around, everyone, students and staff included, was joyous. No one was more so than Mavis, though, who took the trophy for Nationals tremulously. It had been her dream, and now it was reality. She wasn't willing to rest on her laurels, however.

"Marching season may be over, but contest season has just begun," Mavis informed her raptly attentive students. Yuri dragged boxes out and began distributing music. "We'll use some older pieces to warm up, because we're about to get quite busy."

All of them had no problem with that, putting out the music to the best of their ability as if it were another day of intense practicing. It reminded Mavis just how much they had all put in to making the program amazing. To that point, she thanked them all as they left. Yuri left with them, wanting to get home to Rita. Mavis decided to stay a little later, composing some new pieces when she heard a soft knock. She looked up and smiled at Zeref standing there.

"It looks like you're settling back in," he chuckled out.

"Thanks to you," she made sure to note. He didn't say anything in response, so she stood. "Zeref, I want to apologize."

"For what?" he asked in genuine confusion. "I'm the one who-"

"I know, but I unfairly judged you," she clarified. "I took that one moment and measured all your actions against it, never even giving you a chance."

"It's all right. I hurt you first." Mavis shook her head, calling his attention further onto her.

"Yes, you did, but it was wrong of me to judge every action afterwards by that. I don't want to do that. You're too important to me to lose you again. That's why, I'll simply evaluate every action on its own, from this day forward. I think we can avoid problems that way…and…I can forgive you, even if it took me a while to do so."

"All right, then," he said. A new hush fell over them, both unsure what to say to the other. Mavis knew what she wanted to say, but was unsure of how to say it. Then, she felt she lost her moment as Zeref began to turn away, but he stopped. "Mavis…did…did you ever find that one person you wanted to listen to the music with?"

Mavis blinked. Was he asking what she thought he was asking? After all their conversations about it, it could only have one meaning. She looked straight at him and answered, "I did."

"Oh," he grunted out. He seemed conflicted, his hand gripping the wall. When his turmoil faded, he turned back to her. "Then…would you like to go to a concert with me?"

Had anybody else asked that question, it would have held no weight. But from Zeref, it did, and she had her answer waiting.

So, she smiled with the most radiant and loving smile imaginable.

"Zeref, I'd absolutely love to."

THE END

* * *

 **Author's Note: Here we are, at the end. I hope you've enjoyed this story, as I certainly enjoyed writing it over the last nine months. I do, however, have quite the few notes to go over for this story at the end. Almost every single plot point was something I knew from the beginning, such as Acnologia having been the one to kill Mavis' parents to the suspension and how it would be resolved. The ending, in particular, was one of the very first things planned in the story. I wanted a subtler ending than an outright "I love you!" scene with kisses. In fact, I knew I wanted** _ **no**_ **kissing in the final scene. Of course…I realized how dumb part of that was, which is why they did earlier in the story. Hopefully, this subtlety works for you!**

 **Anyway, that's about all I really have to say for this story. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed this wasn't as popular as Musical Chairs, but I suppose that's my own fault. Who cares about any of that, though? We're here at the end, so if you enjoyed, please be sure to leave a Review with your thoughts and, as always, for now and forever,**

 **Dare to Be Silly,**

 **Epicocity**


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